Please contact Anna Chandler, Manager of External Affairs and Communications, at [email protected] to arrange.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 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. Learn more at MotCP.org.

At the Museum of the Cherokee People, visitors experience Cherokee history and living culture in an immersive environment. On most days, visitors can meet the Atsila Anotasgi Cultural Specialists, Museum ambassadors who share traditional Cherokee cultural practices with their community and guests, including storytelling, fingerweaving, and wood carving. The Museum Store offers a variety of books, home goods, clothing, and accessories by leading Native brands and fine items handmade by Cherokee artists. Special events and programs are hosted on-site and virtually. Disruption, an intervention of the Museum’s permanent exhibition by contemporary Cherokee artists, is on view through September 11, 2023.

The Museum opened in 1948 and moved to its present facility in 1976. In 1998, its permanent exhibit was totally renovated and a new 12,000 square-foot exhibit was installed. An 8,500 square-foot education wing was added in 2010. Today, the Museum welcomes an estimated 83,000 visitors per year and continues to grow its storytelling and educational offerings.

• Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums’ 2022 Guardians of Culture and Lifeways International Award Recipient (Museums category)
• 2022 Southeastern Museums Conference Exhibition Competition—Gold, Under $25,000 Budget category
• 2022 Southeastern Museums Conference Publications Competition—Bronze, Gallery Guides category)
• North Carolina Museums Council 2021 Award of Excellence
• TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice 2021
• Top Ten Best Native American Experiences, USA Today
• Mountain Heritage Award, Western Carolina University
• Community Traditions Award, North Carolina Arts Council