The South Dakota State Fair is the busiest time for the Dakotaland Museum on the Fairgrounds. The staff and volunteers have been working hard to get it ready for you to stop in and see the displays.

The long-anticipated book, “Images of America — Huron,” is now available for sale at the museum. Stop in for your autographed copy.

The book is composed of 250 photographs, maps, and memorabilia, mostly from the Dakotaland Museum archives, and shares the rich history of Huron’s early years.

Louise Van Poll, executive director of Huron’s museums, will also be a guest author in the Arts and Education Building today, Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to share her writing experience. She will also share slides of the South Dakota State Fair, showing its history and growth. Most of the photos were used in the book, but not all.

“The State Fair has a colorful and very interesting history,” Van Poll exclaimed. “I love to share the story with Fairgoers.”

She will also be at the museum for book signings Sunday and Monday afternoons.

And the Dakotaland Museum has many new things to see and do. There is an expanded music area showcasing various pianos and organs, including pipes from a theater downtown used in the silent movie era.

New narrative panels tell the story of Scandinavian immigrants, the evolution of the phonograph, and whale oil.

“Part of our mission is to hold these items and stories in trust for the public,” explained Van Poll. “That means we preserve and display them for the benefit of the people.”

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day.

Admission is free but donations are appreciated. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.