Card Games Program

Shuffle your way into the past at the Pembina State Museum during “Games of Pembina's Past: Playing Cards and Card Games” on Saturday, March 21. Drop in anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. to play historical card games from the frontier and fur trade eras. The event is free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Playing cards emerged first in Italy and were brought to North America by explorers, traders, and colonists. While playing cards were a rare luxury during the fur trade, they were widely available in the mid-19th century and even adopted by many Indigenous tribes. Site interpreters will be available in the museum lobby with replica card decks from the 18th and 19th centuries to teach games such as primero, twenty-one, and whist.

This family-friendly event is part of the ND250 commemoration celebrating our country’s 250th birthday.

The Pembina State Museum, located at 805 Highway 59, Pembina, is managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Outreach Coordinator Brian Hardy, [email protected] or 701.825.6840. Find upcoming events sponsored by the State Historical Society at history.nd.gov/events.