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Tuesday 8am - 4pm Wednesday 8am - 4pm Thursday 8am - 4pm Friday 8am - 4pm Saturday 8am - 4pm

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

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Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

Minuteman Missile NHS protects two Cold War-era intercontinental ballistic missile sites- Delta-01 &
(434)

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is the only National Park Service unit dedicated to the events of the Cold War and the Minuteman II missile system’s role in nuclear deterrence. The site consists of three locations- the Visitor Center, Delta-01 Launch Control Facility and underground Launch Control Center, and the Delta-09 Launch Facility (missile silo). Exhibits, ranger programs, and a si

te tour engage the public with nuclear deterrence and other topics within the Cold War time frame and its legacy.

05/04/2026

After a pause in public programming, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is resuming tours of the Delta‑01 Launch Control Facility, now using Recreation.gov for all tour reservations:

• May 7: Reservations open to the public
• May 22: Tours officially resume

Tours can be reserved up to 30 days in advance, but they fill quickly because each tour is limited to 6 people due to the size of the original Cold War–era elevator. Standard tour time is 10 AM daily, with plans to add more offerings as staffing allows.

For those who can’t attend in person, explore Delta‑01 anytime through the virtual tour: https://go.nps.gov/MIMI_virtualtour

While you’re in the area, be sure to explore more of what the park offers:
• Delta‑09 Missile Silo (I‑90 Exit 116): Cell‑phone self‑guided tour available 9 AM–3 PM (summer hours)
• Visitor Center (I‑90 Exit 131): Exhibits and park film available daily 8 AM–4 PM (summer hours)

Please note: After Labor Day weekend, the park returns to winter hours (5 days a week).

Reserve your Delta‑01 tour at Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/gateways/2826

NPS Photo/Zack Matthews: Delta-01 Launch Control Facility with the American Flag waving in the wind framed behind the security fence that is labeled D-1 Quinn Cottonwood Missile Flight D-01.

12/22/2025

Update: A correction to our previous post regarding holiday hours. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site will be open on December 24 and December 26. The Visitor Center will be closed on Christmas Day, December 25, in observance of the holiday.

12/21/2025

🎄Holiday Closure Notice🎄

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site will be closed December 24–26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

NPS Photo: Exterior view of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site visitor center, a modern building on open prairie with a concrete walkway, light snow on the ground, and a military vehicle display under a clear blue sky.

11/26/2025

Yes, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is now open at our standard hours Tuesday-Saturday! Join Bert and escape the cold with some Cold War education! Duck and cover into our visitor center north of I-90 at exit 131 from 8am - 4pm. Check out the bookstore, exhibits, and a 28min park film.

You can also check out our missile silo Delta-09 that’s located south of the I-90 at exit 116. The silo site is open from 9am - 3pm, as weather permits. Dress warm because the silo is an outdoor site.

All sites will be closed 11/27 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. This will allow the staff to enjoy the company of their family and we hope you will do the same. Have a happy holiday from MIMI!

NPS photo / K Fiebiger: Bert the turtle plushie in a sweater for the winter enjoying the television exhibit at the MIMI visitor center.

08/12/2025

Join us today as we celebrate 25 Years as a National Historic Site!

We invite you to visit as we continue celebrating 25 years of being designated a National Historic Site. As part of our ongoing events, we will be hosting several guest speakers from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Two of those special guests include Bruce Bedard and Bret Whitmore, retired Minuteman Missile Security Police, who will be on-site to share their expertise. They’ll offer unique insights into the Peacekeeper Vehicle and the critical role Security Police played in safeguarding our nation’s missiles.

We are deeply grateful to our dedicated volunteers, who have lived and worked within the U.S. Air Force and the Minuteman Missile System. Their firsthand experiences bring Minuteman National Historic Site to life. Come explore our park and discover the history of the Cold War!

NPS Photos: 1. Bruce Bedard and Bret Whitmore talk to a group of visitors about the Peacekeeper vehicle and the job of the Security Police. (J. Berry) 2. Bret Whitmore (left) and Bruce Bedard (right) pose in front of the Peacekeeper vehicle with Bruce's service dog. (Z. Matthews)

08/11/2025

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, we invite you to join us for a special event: "Then and Now History", taking place tomorrow, Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

This commemorative program will feature guest speakers who played pivotal roles in the park’s history:

1:00 PM – Tim Pavek, retired Civil Engineer, who was essential in the park’s creation

2:00 PM – Mark Herberger, the park’s first Superintendent

3:00 PM – A Q&A session with both speakers

Additionally, throughout the afternoon, retired Minuteman Missile Security Police personnel will be stationed outdoors, near our Peacekeeper Vehicle, offering talks and engaging with visitors.

We look forward to seeing you there!

NPS Poster/Z. Matthews: Then and Now History, 25 Years Since Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Legislation was Signed. Background photos with the top photo being a helicopter perspective of an active Minuteman Launch Facility, and the bottom photo is a group photo of school kids looking into the glass covering the modern Delta-09 Launch Facility.

08/06/2025

80 years ago, on August 6th and 9th, 1945 the United States bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the atomic bombs “Little Boy” and “Fat Man.” These bombs proved the power of nuclear weapons, establishing a historic backdrop for the Cold War and the development of more powerful nuclear weapons like the Minuteman Missile.

Photos and captions provided by the National Archives:

Photo 1 (NAID 542192): At the time this photo was made, smoke billowed 20,000 feet above Hiroshima while smoke from the burst of the first atomic bomb had spread over 10,000 feet on the target at the base of the rising column.

Photo 2 (NAID 535795): A dense column of smoke rises more than 60,000 feet into the air over the Japanese port of Nagasaki, the result of an atomic bomb, the second ever used in warfare, dropped on the industrial center August 9, 1945, from a U.S. B-29 Superfortress.

Photo 3 (NAID 22345671): Photograph of Hiroshima after Atomic Bomb

08/02/2025

What is George H.W. Bush holding? We here at Minuteman Missile NHS like to think it is the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed in 1991 on July 31st. This treaty was used to reduce nuclear arms on both sides at the end of the Cold War. President Bush and Gorbachev signed the treaty 34 years ago.

NPS Photo 1./Kurt Fiebiger: Statue of George H.W. Bush at the Corner of 6th and Main St. in Rapid City, SD

NPS Photo 2./Jeanne Berry: Photo of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty from the Minuteman Missile NHS Museum Collection

07/23/2025

What do Missileers and Park Rangers have in common? Certainly not , much to the dismay of Ranger Drew. But what's he pointing at?

That's a hardened Ultra High Frequency (UHF) antenna at D-09 Launch Facility. It allowed the Minuteman Missile to be launched from the air by an Airborne Launch Control Center if the Missile Combat Crews in the squadron were disabled, turned over control of launch, or if all of the Hardened Intersite Cables going to the missile were cut, isolating the missile from control by ground crews.

Come out to Delta-09 at Exit 116 Tuesday-Saturday 9am-3pm to learn more about the Minuteman Missiles or book a tour of Delta-01 at Exit 127 to learn about how they were launched!

NPS Photo/Kurt Fiebiger: A ranger pointing at a UHF Antenna with the glass covering of the Delta-09 Missile Silo in the background

07/19/2025

Our rangers are taking part in Badlands National Park’s Astronomy Festival July 18-20, 2025! We’ll be happy to talk to you about our sites, our 25 year history as a park, and the Cold War and Minuteman Missile history. We will see you at Badlands from 3pm – 5pm today, Saturday, and Sunday!

NPS Photos/Zack Matthews: 1. Rangers prepare to launch a homemade rocket by pushing down on an air pump and getting ready to release the pressure. 2. Rangers successfully launch the homemade rocket using an air pump.

Address

24545 Cottonwood Road
Philip, SD
57567

Opening Hours

Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm
Saturday	8am - 4pm

Telephone

+16054335552

Website

http://www.nps.gov/mimi

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