Winter Hours

Museum of the Cherokee People will be closed Mondays through March 10.

For the Love of Reading

Get in the Valentine's spirit with Books on the Boundary: A Museum of the Cherokee People Reading Circle! The club meets Wednesday, February 12 to discuss rom-com 'The Truth According to Ember,' with a special virtual Q&A with author Danica Nava (Chickasaw Nation).

Immerse Yourself in Cherokee History & Stories

In 2025, storyteller and historian Kathi Littlejohn (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) leads a free educational series held on the first Sunday of the month from January through June.

Now On View: sov·er·eign·ty

sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians illuminates the complexities of tribal sovereignty and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ continuing legacy of resilience.

Let's Learn Cherokee in 2025

Join educator Landon French (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) for free beginner Cherokee language lessons in the Museum's Education Wing.

Museum Rebrand Wins Top Prize

Museum of the Cherokee People's rebranding campaign was awarded Gold in the Southeastern Museums Conference's 2024 publications competition.

Museum of the
Cherokee People

Immerse yourself in the history and culture of the Cherokee people.

Established in 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee People is one of the longest-operating tribal museums in the country.

Located in Cherokee, North Carolina on the Qualla Boundary, the sovereign land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and ancestral homelands of all Cherokees, the Museum shares the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people through its exhibitions, collections, and programs.

The Museum of the Cherokee People is the recipient of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums’ 2022 Guardians of Culture and Lifeways International Award and was voted a Top Ten Best Native American Experiences by USA TODAY.

Open Tuesday–Sunday from 9am–5pm. Closed Mondays. Last ticket sold at 4:30pm.

OUR MISSION

To preserve and perpetuate the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people.

OUR VISION

To be experts in the care and protection of the Cherokee peoples’ history, material culture, and knowledge.

Upcoming Events

What’s in a name?

Executive Director Shana Bushyhead Condill (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), Designer Tyra Maney (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Diné), and board member and author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) share how a new name and visual rebrand builds on the Museum’s 75-year legacy.

Become a Member

With new levels and expanded benefits, the Museum of the Cherokee People’s refreshed membership program features a digital membership cards via MuseumAnywhere, one-of-a-kind gifts, exclusive offers and events, reciprocal privileges that grant the cardholder free admission to museums around the world, and one-of-a-kind gifts for supporters.

Museum Store

Even As We Breathe
$24.95
Eighth Generation x John Henry Gloyne – Earth & Beauty Blanket
$200.00
Four Winds Pendant
$1,000.00
Media Inquiries

Museum of the Cherokee People staff are available for interviews. For media inquiries, please use the link below to contact us for more information.

 

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Our Community

The Museum of the Cherokee People is proud to offer community learning opportunities for citizens of federally-recognized tribes both on-site at the Museum and virtually.

Tribal Community Feedback

We invite our tribal community to share your ideas and input on the future of the Museum of the Cherokee People.

We’d love to see you at an upcoming community listening session!

Stay tuned for updates on upcoming community listening sessions.

Museum of the Cherokee People
Digital Collections Archive

Our collection features cultural artifacts, documents, manuscripts, books, journals, photographs, maps, and audio-visual materials relating to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.