Welcome to the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center – home of science, history, and amazing tours and experiences! Enter the front door of Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) and see how America’s underground science laboratory is expanding our future. Guided specialized tours of the exhibit hall complement the convenient bus parking and easy access to historic Lead, South Dakota.

Perched on the edge of the Open Cut, which represents geologic and mining history of the region, the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center offers visitors an array of immersive exhibits and activities exploring the science experiments happening nearly a mile underground. The science of SURF began with Ray Davis Jr. conducting research into the existence and behaviors of neutrinos in the 1960s. The theories of John Bachall likewise inspired future studies about neutrinos. Today, research at SURF expands to include other world-leading physics experiments, plus a wide range of other scientific studies, transforming a former gold mine into a research facility that is pushing the boundaries of science.

The search for dark matter, the exploration of diverse biological ecosystems embedded in the layers of rock, and the remarkable continuation of the study of neutrinos come to life in interactions with SURF scientists and engaging exhibits. Groups find themselves captivated by the suspended 3D model of the deep, which make up more than 370 miles of Lead’s underground history. Today, visitors can snap selfies at the 1200-foot-deep Open Cut or pose within the Davis Ring, a section of the huge tank used in Davis’ Nobel-winning experiment.

Visitors arriving year-round at the modern facility learn about the history of the people who called the Black Hills home for centuries before mining transformed industry in Lead. The 125-year history of mining past serves as a bridge between the earliest stories of the people of the Black Hills region to today’s scientists, engineers, geologists, and researchers standing on the edge of Earth’s science future.

Contact the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center at slhvc@sanfordlab.org or 605-584-3110 to arrange a specialized program or an engaging classroom discussion about the science happening nearly a mile below the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Visit sanfordlab.org/slhvc to see samples of the displays and features. Reserve your arrival date and schedule a customized guided tour into the home of science, history, and the best view in the Lead-Deadwood region.