Yankton State Hospital:
Mind, methods, & Medicine
The newest permanent exhibit Yankton State Hospital: Minds, Methods, and Medicine is a four room display exploring the history of the mental health campus from its start in 1879 to the modern era. It expands on the historical significance of treatments used through time highlighting doctors who became nationally recognized for their accomplishments in the field of mental health like Dr. Mead, the architect and superintendent, and Dr. Kanner, the Father of American Child Psychiatry. Other aspects explored in the exhibit include the large award-winning farming operation that fed the patients and staff along with creating additional income for recreation activities. Visitors who have previously worked or had interactions with the historic hospital can share their own stories.
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The exhibit design team: Jane Bobzin, Carol Ryan, and Stan Hoffart put their love of history and fascination of the historic campus into this project taking it to a new level. They wanted the space to not only be informative but give a historical perspective to the true history of a place filled with curiosity. The entire exhibit was designed in-house with less than 10% being outsourced to regional businesses.