Robert L. Nielsen Visitor Center

Call (605) 339-1203, ext. 401. The entrance is on north Marion Road off of I-90 (exit 395) and has easy bus turnaround. 

The Visitor Center is open for tours!  

Learn about the history of the Ranch and our Founder Melinda Bell McCrossan.  You'll also see South Dakota's U.S. Bicentennial Celebration Wagon and one of our life-sized gentle giants on display.

If you’re a history buff or if you’re curious to see the progress that has been made at McCrossan Boys Ranch for the boys and staff over the last six+ decades, the Visitor Center’s museum area is for you!

What you’ll see at the museum:

• Large murals with a historical timeline from the inception of the Ranch in 1942 to the present
• Highlighted stories of past McCrossan resident boys
• Founder Melinda McCrossan’s Steinway baby grand piano
• Historical story of Bernard and Melinda McCrossan’s vision and donation
• Life-size U.S. Bicentennial Wagon from 1976
• Interactive educational panels that highlight the boys’ challenges
• History of our Equine Assistance Psychotherapy (EAP) and how it impacts the boys’ needs
• Interactive fun facts about the animals on site: cattle, horses, donkeys, sheep and llamas
• How athletics and 4-H play an important part in the boys’ lives
• Interactive touch screen videos
• Nature area with trail

The Visitor Center also holds an event center which can be rented for meetings, small conferences and gatherings.

• Round table seating for 100 people.
• Theater-style seating for 100 people.
• A/V projector with sound system and seven-foot wide dropdown screen
• Kitchen area with serving island, refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher. Caterers welcome!
• Linen tablecloths available.
• Picturesque view of cows in the fields, beside evergreen and deciduous trees.
• The wrap-around deck overlooks the fields and trees and provides a beautiful break area.
• Alcoholic beverages may be brought on site by client.
• Call for fees and availability.

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You’ll find several McCrossan logo items here such as t-shirts in various colors, logo caps and coffee mugs. We have signed prints of John Green’s painting “Hope Lives” which depicts a McCrossan staff and boy on a plow behind draft horses, as well as other various on-site scenes. There are also cookbooks, card sets, iron signs, printed bandannas, jewelry, and western ornaments. 

New items created by the McCrossan boys and local artisans!