Inside the museum, there is the Main Gallery, the Contemporary Art Gallery, plus special lobby exhibits. The Main Gallery was established when the Museum opened in 1991, and was set up by Bud and Nancy Thompson. It is arranged in a circle, and divided into geographical regions of North America, with an emphasis on their different environments. There may be 100 or more different tribes in each of those regions, and the collections on display are the art and craft of those tribes.
Over the years we have painted the gallery walls, added murals, and made adjustments to highlight new objects, but the basic idea started by Bud and Nancy remains the same -- it is to help the visitor see the beauty in Native-made objects, and to try to imagine the world-views of the maker.
The Contemporary Art Gallery is an area for members of the Native community to create exhibits of contemporary Native art. In past years, members of the Native community have guest-curated new exhibits.
The Contemporary Art Gallery was established in 2012, and its exhibits have included: Beading is Breathing, Containers, Reading Native Art, Giona Sezoha G’dakinna – We Paint Our Land, All My Relations, Tatoos, Protection & Warmth, and more. In Spring 2023 a collection of pottery, A Gift form the Bill Balsam Collection, was curated by intern, Sterling Gross. This exhibit was entitled ‘Shaping Traditions: Pueblo Pottery’ and was displayed through July 2023.
A new exhibit premiered in the Contempory Gallery of the museum on Saturday, July 22nd. This exhibit was made possible by NH Humanities - Community Project Grants. Nebizun (alternately spelled Nebizon) is the Abenaki word for medicine and the root word Nebi is the Abenaki word for water. The rivers and tributaries of N’Dakinna (our homeland) were our highways for traveling and the water itself is important to the species of fish and other wildlife that is necessary to our way of life. As stewards of the environment Native American people know the importance of having clean water. The Abenaki people know and understand the importance of water in everyday activities related to foodways and healing powers of water. Nebizun: Water is Life draws its inspiration from Native American Grandmothers who have been doing water walks to pray for the water, and the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.
This exhibit was presented in partnership with the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and the Abenaki Arts & Education Center.
Lobby Exhibits - Southwest pottery and rugs from the Mike and Rita Griffin Collection are on display in the lobby area.