The World’s Only Corn Palace Draws 500,000 Visitors to This South Dakota Town Every Year

Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota

Built back in 1892 to show off the area’s farming success, this unusual building has been rebuilt several times, with today’s version dating to 1921.

What makes it special is its outside walls—covered completely each year with naturally colored corn, grains, and grasses to create huge pictures with different themes. Here’s why it’s worth a visit.

Corn Palaces Once Had a Fierce Small-Town Rivalry

Mitchell wasn’t the only town with a corn palace. In the early 1890s, Sioux City, Iowa built a competing corn palace that fought for visitors and attention. Both cities raced to create better corn decorations and draw bigger crowds.

Mitchell won the corn war when Sioux City’s building burned down in 1891. This rivalry pushed Mitchell to build bigger and better, leading to three different versions before the current palace was finished in 1921. This competition helped make Mitchell’s building the “World’s Only” Corn Palace still standing today.

Russian Domes Added Much Later in 1937

The Corn Palace’s eye-catching onion domes weren’t part of the first design. They were added in 1937 during a big remodel, inspired by Russian churches and Moscow’s Saint Basil’s Cathedral. America was going through a phase of fascination with Russian architecture at the time.

The domes were added to make the building stand out to tourists. They were first painted plain green but now shine in bright blue, green, and gold metal. Each dome weighs over 500 pounds and stands about 26 feet tall, making them visible from far away.

370,000 Ears of Corn Cover the Building Each Year

The yearly redecoration uses an amazing amount of corn. Each year, the palace needs about 370,000 ears of corn, all grown locally in specific colors for the murals. Decorators use 13 natural shades including red, brown, black, blue, white, yellow, and green—with no artificial colors.

Planning starts a full year ahead with choosing the theme and growing the right corn varieties. A team of 20 people spends over 3,000 work hours attaching corn ears to the building using a special wire framework. They saw each cob in half lengthwise before nailing it to the building, using the same technique since the 1930s.

The Building Housed Soldiers During World War II

During World War II, the Corn Palace stepped up in an unexpected way. From 1943-1945, the U.S. Army turned the building into housing and training space for hundreds of Army Air Corps soldiers.

The basketball court was filled with beds, concession stands became supply points, and the stage was used for training. The usual corn decorations were paused as corn was needed for the war effort.

The Palace also stored war bonds in its basement vault and hosted bond drives that raised over $1.2 million—a huge amount for a small South Dakota town at that time.

August Means Festival Time in Mitchell

The Corn Palace Festival happens every August to celebrate harvest time. This week-long event has carnival rides, food stands with creative corn dishes, and nightly concerts on the main stage. It kicks off with showing the new corn murals, which have a different theme each year.

Local farmers compete to grow the best corn, with prizes for different categories. The festival brings in over 40,000 people and generates nearly 30% of Mitchell’s tourism money in just one week.

Famous Performers Play This Small Town Stage

You might not expect it, but this rural venue has hosted some major stars on its 80-foot stage. Country legends like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Garth Brooks have all performed here. Rock groups like The Buckinghams and Three Dog Night, comedians like Bob Hope, and even jazz greats like Louis Armstrong have played the Palace.

The corn-covered walls actually create great acoustics by naturally dampening sound. The venue fits about 3,200 people and hosts over 40 major shows each year, from concerts to comedy to wrestling.

The Home Court of the Mitchell Kernels Team

The Corn Palace doubles as one of America’s most unique basketball venues. Both Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers and the Mitchell High School Kernels play their home games here. The court has hosted many South Dakota State Basketball Tournaments and has been named one of the most atmospheric places to watch college basketball.

ESPN once put it on their list of top unusual college basketball venues. The wooden floor comes apart in 288 pieces that workers can remove when the space needs to host concerts or other events.

The Only Gift Shop Where Everything Is Corn Themed

The gift shop sells corn-themed everything. You can buy corn cob pipes, corn husk dolls, dozens of popcorn flavors, and corn-shaped stress toys. Look for unique items like earrings made from mini corn kernels, corn Christmas ornaments, and clothes with corn designs.

The bestseller is the “Corn Palace snow globe” with a tiny version of the building and corn kernels instead of snow. The staff can explain the different corn varieties used in the murals and tell you which ones make the best popcorn or cornbread. This is probably the only place where you’ll find this much corn-themed merchandise under one roof.

A Secret Observation Deck Gives 15 Mile Views

For the best views in town, head up to the observation deck at the top of the Corn Palace. This hidden gem gives you a complete 360-degree view of Mitchell and the surrounding farmland. On clear days, you can see over 15 miles across the prairie.

Signs explain what crops grow in the region and why they’re important. You can use the provided binoculars to spot wildlife and landmarks in the distance. To reach the deck, you’ll climb a spiral staircase with corn-themed paintings by local artists.

A 1920s Movie Theater Still Shows Films

Inside the Palace, you’ll find a unique single-screen movie theater showing both regular films and documentaries about farming. The theater keeps its 1920s charm with hand-carved wooden armrests and corn designs on the ceiling.

The snack bar serves popcorn varieties grown within 50 miles of Mitchell. Each spring, they host a film festival about farm life and food production. Tickets cost just $5, much cheaper than big-city prices.

Try Grinding Corn with Stone Tools and Modern Equipment

The Interactive Corn Exhibit, added in 2015 and updated in 2023, shows you corn’s journey from seed to food. You can use touchscreens to compare modern harvesting to historical methods and try grinding corn using both stone tools and modern equipment.

There’s even a “scent station” where you can smell different corn products from ethanol to corn syrup. Kids love the “kernel counter” that shows how many individual kernels (over 500,000) cover the Palace’s exterior. At the end, you can taste unusual corn varieties you won’t find in grocery stores and learn why they’re special.

Plan Your Visit to the Corn Palace

The Mitchell Corn Palace is located at 604 N Main St, Mitchell, SD 57301. Summer hours (May-August) run 8am-9pm daily, while off-season hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Saturday.

Admission is completely FREE, though special events and performances require separate tickets. Guided tours cost:

• Adults: $8
• Children (5-12): $4

The building is fully wheelchair accessible with ramps and elevators to all main areas. Free parking is available in the adjacent lot and on surrounding streets.