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North American Bison Discovery Center, Jamestown, ND
MuseumsFamily FavoriteQuirky FunRainy-Day Pick

North American Bison Discovery Center

500 17th St SE · Jamestown, ND

Why you should go…

Formerly the National Buffalo Museum, this center at Frontier Village tells the story of the North American bison and its comeback from fewer than a thousand animals in the late 1800s. Galleries cover bison in history, Indigenous peoples and bison, modern artwork and the Buffalo Hall of Fame, and kids get a Bison Calf Play Area. Two small herds graze on both sides of Interstate 94, and the 26-foot World's Largest Buffalo statue stands nearby.

  • #bison museum
  • #live bison herd
  • #national buffalo museum
  • #world's largest buffalo
  • #roadside attraction

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to North American Bison Discovery Center, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    World's Largest Buffalo Monument

    Free

    Stand beneath Dakota Thunder, a 26-foot-tall, 60-ton concrete bison that has watched over Jamestown's Frontier Village since 1959.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing