Minuteman Missile National Historic Site


During the Cold War, a vast arsenal of nuclear missiles were placed in the Great Plains. Hidden in plain sight, for thirty years 1,000 missiles were kept on constant alert; hundreds remain today. The Minuteman Missile remains an iconic weapon in the American nuclear arsenal. It holds the power to destroy civilization, but is meant as a nuclear deterrent to maintain peace and prevent war.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is located at three sites along a fifteen mile stretch of Interstate 90 in western South Dakota. The Visitor Center is located immediately north of I-90, exit 131. The two historic sites which make up the park are four miles (Launch Control Facility Delta-01) and 15 miles (Launch Facility Delta-09) from the Visitor Center. No public transportation systems serve the park.

  • Guided Tours
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

  • Engineering
  • Military
  • US Air Force (Army Air Corps)
  • Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Social Movements
  • Tragic Events
  • Wars and Conflicts
  • Cold War

Delta-09 enclosure

Glass structure over the silo allows visitors to look down at the missile

The glass enclosure allows visitors to view a Minuteman II missile in the silo.

Minuteman II Missile

A cylindrical missile inside an underground silo.

A Minuteman II nuclear missile remains on alert, representing the 1,000 missiles which kept a constant vigil during the Cold War.

A winter visit to Delta-09

Two people are visible at the missile silo through a chain link fence

A visit to the Delta-09 missile silo allows the opportunity to consider the role of these missile in America's defense during the Cold War.

Delta-01

A brown building behind a tall fence with warning signs

For thirty years, US Air Force staff monitored a flight of ten nuclear missiles at the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility.

"Thirty Minutes or Less"

A large metal blast door with art of a Domino with a nuclear missile

Behind this blast door is the control center where two missileers kept a constant watch over ten nuclear missiles.

Morale Art of the Cold War

A painting of a nuclear missile bursting through a Soviet Flag

Located next to the elevator, this painting served as a reminder to missileers who they were defending the United States against.

Nose-to-Nose with Armegeddon

View down a silo at a nuclear missile

Visitors can peer through the glass at a Minuteman II missile in the silo at Delta-09.

Night view of Delta-09

Night view of the Delta-09 site

Night view of the Delta-09 site

Minuteman Missile Visitor Center

A modern building with a prominent glass clerestory dominates a prairie landscape at sunset

The visitor center at sunset.

Cold War "Blast Door" art at Delta-01

A view of a concrete wall with a painting and a blastdoor with art

Morale art reminded missile officers who the enemy was during the Cold War

Park Ranger leads a tour in the underground control center

A ranger talks to visitors next to electronic cabinets.

A park ranger leads a tour in the underground control center