Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1977 |
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| Location | 3001 Central Street Evanston, Illinois |
| Type | Native American |
The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum is a special museum located in Evanston, Illinois. It is all about the history, culture, and art of the Native peoples of North America. The museum first opened in 1977. It was known as the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian until November 2024, when it got its new name.
The museum has many amazing items, from very old times (the Paleo-Indian period) to today. You can see permanent exhibits that show the cultures of Native Americans from different regions. These include the Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, Northwest Coast, and Arctic areas. There are also two special galleries that change their exhibits twice a year.
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Discover the Museum's Story
The museum started in 1977 because of a generous gift. A businessman named John M. Mitchell and his wife, Betty Seabury Mitchell, donated their collection of Native American art and items. At first, this collection was kept at Kendall College.
In 1997, the collection moved to a new building. This building used to be the home of the Terra Museum of American Art. Then, in 2006, the museum became its own independent organization. This meant it could run on its own as a nonprofit group.
A New Name and Focus
In 2024, the museum talked with many people, including members of Indigenous communities. They decided on a new name: Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum. The word "Gichigamiin" (pronounced Gi-che-gammeen) means Great Lakes in the Ojibwe language. This new name shows that the museum now focuses more on the tribes from the local area and the Great Lakes region.
In 2025, the museum grew even more! It bought the Aloha Center, a property right next door. This new space will help the museum share the cultures of Hawaiian and South Pacific peoples too. The museum is also a main member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance. This is a group of over 40 cultural places in the Chicago area.
Explore Permanent Galleries
The museum's main exhibit is called "Regional Tour of American Indian Cultures." It highlights the art and everyday items of tribes from the United States and Canada.
Woodlands Gallery: East of the Mississippi
The Woodlands Gallery teaches you about Native peoples who lived east of the Mississippi River. This includes areas like the Northeast, Southeast, and Great Lakes. A large birchbark canoe is the main display. Other exhibits show how people fished, hunted, and gathered food. You can also see containers made from wood splints and birchbark.
There are also beautiful personal decorations. These include glass beads, quillwork, and moosehair embroidery. A special display shows clothing and crafts from Southeastern Woodlands peoples. These include the Seminole, Cherokee, and Choctaw tribes. You can even see a rare Seminole man's "Big Shirt" from the late 1800s. The gallery also has a model Long House. Plus, there are photos showing how canoes were made and how wild rice was harvested.
Plains Gallery: Central North America
The Plains Gallery explores the lives of Native American tribes in the central part of North America. You can see Moccasins, blanket strips, and different kinds of carrying bags. These items show the unique beadwork designs of tribes like the Crow, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, and Lakota (Sioux).
There are also dolls, including two made by modern Lakota artists Charlene and Rhonda Holy Bear. These dolls show in detail what men and women wore. The Plains tribes were known for hunting and being warriors. This is shown by an eagle feather war bonnet, weapons, and a shield. You can also see carved catlinite pipe bowls.
Southwest Gallery: Desert Cultures
The Southwest Gallery shows the culture and art of the Pueblo, Navajo, and southern Arizona Papago and Tohono O'odham (Pima) peoples. Some displays are dedicated to Pueblo pottery. These range from thousand-year-old Anasazi bowls to modern works. You can even see pieces by the famous San Ildefonso potter Maria Martinez.
The gallery also features silver and turquoise jewelry from Zuni, Navajo, Hopi, and Santo Domingo artists. Over 40 different Kachina dolls are on display. Some are very old carvings from the early 1900s from Acoma and Laguna Pueblos. You can also see Navajo rugs from many different trading posts from the early 20th century.
Northwest Coast and Arctic Gallery: Far North Peoples
The Northwest Coast and Arctic Gallery gives you a look into the lives of people living along the Pacific Coast. This includes Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. It also covers people in the northern parts of Canada. Prints, baskets, masks, and other wooden carvings show how Northwest Coast art tells family stories.
You can see a full-size dance screen, painted by a modern Tlingit artist for the museum. There's also a Button Robe and a Chilkat blanket woven from goat hair and cedar bark. The gallery also shows the many different materials used by the Inuit and Athapascan peoples of the Arctic. You can see everyday items like snow goggles made from caribou hoof, bone, and wood. A full-size walrus intestine parka from the early 1900s from western Alaska is also on display. Modern dolls from Kotzebue and St. Lawrence Island show different types of traditional clothing.
Museum Collections: What You Can See
The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum has items from ancient times to today. The collection covers all parts of North America. This includes items from the Woodlands, Plains, Plateau, Southwest, Northwest Coast, and Arctic peoples. Some of the museum's special collections include:
- Great Lakes ice fishing decoys
- Traditional and modern dolls from all over North America
- Beadwork from the 1800s and 1900s from the Northern Plains and Great Lakes regions
- Baskets from the Great Lakes, Southwest, California, and Northwest Coast
- Navajo weavings
- Kachinas from the late 1800s and early 1900s
- Cape Dorset prints
- Arctic carvings made from stone, ivory, and bone, from prehistoric times to modern day
