Rental Contract

As we have children's activities on Monday through Wednesday, the Museum is only available for rentals on Thursday through Sunday. The Main Hall provides seating for parties up to 232 guests. When the Museum is rented for a function, the Atrium, Main Hall, and the Faithe Gallery is made available for the function’s invitees.

Rental Fees:

-       Thursday  $1,000

-       Friday         $1,500

-       Saturday   $1,800

-       Sunday       $1,500

Holiday fees may apply. Please visit with the Museum Director regarding any additional fees that may apply due to Holiday weekends or Holidays. Rental fees include use of tables (round, rectangle, and 10 cocktail tables), black padded chairs, white linens, white table skirts, black pipe and draping in the buffet area (side room), white fabric and icicle lights hanging from ceiling in main hall, one-time set up, tear down, and cleaning. We also provide the following items upon request: podium, screen for projector.

Rental periods are twelve (12) hours.  Renters have access to the Museum during the following hours for their function (which includes decorating and cleanup time) on the event date:

Rental Hours:

-    Sunday                         8:00AM to 12:00PM and 4:00PM to 12:30AM (or 1:30AM for an additional $75)

-    Thursday                    9:00AM to 4:00PM (business hours) and/or event start time to 12:00AM

-    Friday                           9:00AM to 4:00PM (business hours) and/or event start time to 12:00AM

-    Saturday                       8:00AM to 12:00PM and 4:00PM to 12:30AM (or 1:30AM for an additional $75)

Renters that exceed their rental period will be charged an additional $75 overtime fee per each half-hour that the renter’s cleanup is not completed.

The Museum requires one (1) manager for all events.  If you wish to have more staff available, please contact the Museum Director for assistance.

Museum rental reservations are not made until both the deposit has been provided and the Rental Agreement has been signed and returned to the Museum Director.  Until such time, the Museum cannot hold or reserve a date for an event.

Anytime a bar service is being used, the renter will be required to use a Museum staffed bartender and will be required to pay the $100 bar license fee to the Museum.  Bartender service fees are $125.  The bartenders require proper identification to verify legal drinking age and hold the right to deny services if proper ID cannot be produced.  The bartenders may also refuse service to persons seeming intoxicated.  The Museum has a Malt Beverage and Wine license and is unable to provide hard alcohol beverages. Any hard alcohol on Museum grounds must be removed immediately. Noncompliance will result in the content being taken away from the guest. Renters may be fined $150 per incident for not abiding by this rule, due to the Museum’s threat to losing its licenses and permits to serve.  Outside coolers or beverages are not permitted on Museum grounds and may be taken by Museum staff.

If renters are not having alcohol, they are not required to have a bartender but are required to use the Museum for beverages such as soft drinks and bottled water. The Museum will also provide a cooler with ice.  The cooler will not be staffed, only monitored for inventory. Any special orders must be approved by the Museum Director.  Beverage services may be hosted by the renter, otherwise all beverages are cash. Pop and water is $1.00, house wine is $4.00 a glass or $17 a bottle, box wine $75/box, champagne is $3.00 a glass or $12 a bottle, Domestic Kegs are $400 and bottles are $3.00, and Specialty Malts are $450 minimum a keg and $4.00 a bottle.

Sound permits must be purchased by the renter from the City of Sioux Falls from the Health Department anytime amplified music is being used outside of our facility, such as in the gardens or the front entry area. The Health Department is located directly west of the Museum.

The Museum Director has the right of refusal for any permit or license requested by renters.

The required deposit for rental events for the Museum is $650 and is due at the time of reserving the space. The space is not reserved until the payment and signed agreement are received.

The estimated final balance is due two weeks prior to the event. A current and valid credit card number will be required to be held on file for any charges that may exceed previous payment. Delinquent payments may affect the status of the event and are subject to additional 5% late fees.

Your final room layout and guest count must be agreed upon no less than five (5) business days prior to your event.

No changes or alterations to the building, its accessories, or its fixtures may be made, which includes the art hanging on the walls. The art exhibits change every two months. A fee will be assessed if any artwork is removed from the walls. A white backdrop is available for rent to use behind the head table.

Guests or renters are not to access the basement for any reason. If a person needs something from our basement, please find an employee for further assistance. Only staff is allowed in the kitchen area. Caterers may use the large utility sink in the back linen room. Please find a staff person to help with this.

No disposable dishware is allowed. The only exceptions to this policy are recyclable plastic keg cups (clear recyclable cups are provided by the Museum with keg purchase), punch/coffee cups (DO NOT use Styrofoam coffee cups! You will be asked to pack them up and not use them for your event. Please look for alternative options such as recyclable paper coffee cups), and plastic recyclable cake plates. Several local rental companies are able to rent place settings.  Please ask the Museum Director for a list of preferred vendors. If your caterer is providing your place settings, you are responsible for making sure they are non-disposable. Linen napkins must be used for sit down meals. These can be rented through the museum ($0.40 per napkin, unfolded) or another rental service. Disposable cocktail napkins are only allowed at the bar or if you are only providing hors d’oeuvres/appetizers (no sit down meal) for your event.

You may provide your own caterer. Your caterer must provide table attendants to clear plates/silverware/trash, or you may provide your own table attendants. The Museum does not have staff available for these services.

No outside beverages may be brought into the Museum or be found on its grounds. Exceptions to this policy only include punch, coffee, and caterer provided water service. The Museum does not have coffee service available; please check with your caterers for these services. You will need to provide the glassware for water service and coffee service. Ask your Museum Director for more information if you are interested in hosting beverage service for your guests. No beverages, such as homemade beer and wine, soft drinks or bottled water, may be used as favors or used at the bar. Hard alcohol is not permitted on the Museum grounds and will be confiscated. Fines may occur.

 No smoking on Museum grounds. Museum grounds consist of everything inside the black railing, and outside of the quartzite rock border in the back. State Law provides that all smoking must be done twenty (20) feet away from any building entrance. Museum policy states that all smoking is to be done off Museum grounds and by the smoking posts at the end of each exiting sidewalk. If any of your guests are in violation of this policy, the renter will be given one warning. After the first warning you may be subject to a maximum $800 fine.

Decorating and setup time must be provided to the Museum Director to ensure staff is available during your desired setup time. You are responsible for communicating with your vendors/rental companies that they are only able to access the Museum during rental hours unless previous arrangements are made.

Absolutely no confetti, popcorn, fireworks (including sparklers), rice, sand, birdseed, Silly String, glitter, tape, glue, nails, pins, spray paint, spray of any kind, Play Dough, animals (including fish), may be brought in to the Museum or be found on its grounds. Museum staff reserve the right to confiscate any of the above listed materials. You are responsible for your guests’ abidance to this policy.

Open flame candles are not permitted. All candles must be surrounded by a glass receptacle at least two (2) inches over the flame.

White table linens will be provided, set, and removed by the Museum. If renters are bringing in their own special order linens, you are required to remove promptly at the beginning of cleanup time.

Your bussing services should be taken care of by your catering company. If your catering company does not provide bussing services, you are required to provide them. Our staff is only obligated to clear the tables of wine glasses, beer bottles, water bottles, and pop cans. Products provided by the Museum will be cleared from the tables by our staff. Any centerpieces or colored linens that you are providing must be taken care of by the renter the night of the event.

All decorations must be removed by the end of your rental time.  Anything left behind may be thrown away and you may be charged maintenance/cleaning fees.  Cleanup or disposal fees may be added to your final invoice.  Please make sure your vendors/rental companies are aware of this restriction as their noncompliance will be charged to the renter.

Renters may call the Museum thirty (30) days before the scheduled date to reserve the Museum for afternoon setup the day prior to the event, which will be allowed if the Museum is available. The setup times will be from Noon to 4:00 PM during business hours the day prior to your scheduled event date. There are no promises or guarantees on availability. A fee of $75 will hold the day before for decorating.

Any renters renting the facility must provide a copy of their proof of liability insurance ($500,000 minimum) to the Museum Director ten (10) days before the event date. Any renter who fails to provide proof of liability insurance will be charged $300 and Museum staff will provide the $500,000 liability coverage through the Museum’s insurance provider under the name of the renter. Any renter employing an agent that will be providing goods or services on the premises of the Museum, such as catering or entertainment, shall have the agent provide a copy of such agent’s proof of liability insurance ($1,000,000 minimum) to the Museum Director. All agents of the renter must provide proof of liability insurance prior to such agent’s setup on the premises of the Museum. The Museum has the right to bill the renter for any theft, damage or any destruction of property.

Parking surrounding the Museum is available, but never guaranteed. Handicap parking is available in the north parking lot with a handicap ramp for Museum access. The north parking lot can be accessed on the north side of the Adwerks building on the east side of the road.  Public parking is not metered after 6:00 PM on Fridays or all day Saturdays and Sundays. During the week, all parking around the south side and the west side of the facility is 2-hour parking and is subject to ticketing before 6:00 PM. The Museum is not responsible for parking violations, tickets, or towing.  The large paved parking lot to the south of the Museum across the street is available after 5:30 PM on Fridays. It will also be available on Saturdays and Sundays. There is absolutely no parking in the north and east parking lot Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Vehicles may be towed. The north parking lot is available after 5:30 PM on Fridays and all day Saturdays and Sundays.

The Rental Agreement may be canceled only by written notice to the Museum Director.  If the Rental Agreement is canceled by the renter, the renter will lose the initial deposit of $650.  If an event is canceled within six (6) months of the scheduled event date, the renter will be obligated to pay an additional cancellation fee of $200.  If the event is canceled within thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled event date, the renter will be obligated to pay an additional cancellation fee of $400.  If the Rental Agreement is canceled by the renter within seven (7) days prior to the scheduled event date, the renter will be obligated to pay the full amount of the rental fee.