The Mid-America All-Indian Center is hosting an Open House from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 to unveil recent enhancements to the Museum.
The event is free. The Indian Center is located at 650 N. Seneca.
New exhibits feature original Blackbear Bosin comics and expanded information about his life – Bosin was one of the Indian Center founders – basket work from American Indian tribes, pottery and arrowheads.
One section of the Museum is now dedicated to American Indian artists, featuring photos, examples of their work and accompanying stories.
For the children, there are new shadow boxes that hold arrowheads, buffalo and beaver furs and bones that youth are encouraged to touch. A one-of-a-kind child-size tipi, which was hand-painted by local Elder Dan Herman, a Cherokee Indian, and his granddaughter Ivy, sits in the front of the Museum area to serve as a quiet reading space for children.
“For a few months now, we’ve been laying the groundwork to transform our Museum into a more interactive and visually expressive space,” said Indian Center Director April Scott. “It’s been an extensive process, and staff will be working up until the day of the Open House to put the finishing touches on exhibits. We know our visitors will be delighted by the changes.”
The Open House will also feature two presentations:
11 a.m.: Ken Lockwood from the Eagle Valley Raptor Center. His presentation, "Peregrine Falcons: Nature's Fighter Jets," will focus visitors' attention on the nature in the sky that American Indians have such a strong connection to. He will be bringing with him three Peregrine Falcons and a 20-minute film about the birds.
Noon- 3 p.m.: David Muskus will conduct an arrowhead demonstration to showcase different arrowheads and how they are made.
