There’s No Other Palace In The World Like This One In South Dakota

South Dakota has always made great agricultural contributions to the country - so much so that an entire palace was built to show our state pride. Take a look at the Mitchell Corn Palace in South Dakota. It's one of those magnificent attractions that deserves a spot on your bucket list.

The Mitchell Corn Palace was built in 1892, when Mitchell had just 3,000 residents.

The palace was a hit from the beginning. Here's a photo of the crowd outside of the palace in 1915. Today, as many as 500,000 people visit the Corn Palace every year.

Every year in August, the exterior is stripped and redone with a new theme.

The cost for this renovation is $130,000. The theme for 2020 was South Dakota Stay Here Play Here.

Thirteen different colors of corn are used to create the panels.

Each corn cob is cut in two length-wise then nailed in place.

The corn panels are changed each year when a new theme is unveiled. Past themes have included Remember When (2014) and Salute To Military (2018).

A tribute to Elvis is in the large panel on the corner of the building in this photo from the 2016 mural titled Rock of Ages. You can see the detail of the corn cobs here.

The interior of the Corn Palace has many murals, too.

The main area is used for high school basketball games during the school year.

For some of the year, the main floor is set up as a gift shop.

The shop includes locally-made crafts and commercial items.

You know you want a corny water bottle!

Concerts and community events are also held at the Corn Palace throughout the year.

The Corn Palace is a vital part of the community, hosting events such as rodeos.

The space is also used for volunteer events.

In April 2015, 1,250 volunteers packed food for the The Impact Life Organization, which sent it to third world countries.

You can play in the corn!

And you'll want to climb aboard the tractor, too.

Outside, enjoy a picnic and wander through the local shops.

Admission to the Corn Palace is free!

Have you visited the Mitchell Corn Palace in South Dakota? Tell us about your experience in the comments. And for more information, check out the Corn Palace website.

If you'd like to check out some of South Dakota's most beautiful outdoor spaces, visit these 9 South Dakota Historic Landmarks.