In a building inspired by a longhouse, the Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, NY, on Mohawk land, introduces visitors to the art and culture of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora). The Museum’s exhibits, festivals, events, interactive Children’s Museum, and 45-acre Nature Park celebrate the cultural diversity, rich history, archaeology, and artistic expression of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois. For more information, visit www.iroquoismuseum.org.

 

2026 Special Exhibitions

On View April 2 through November 29

 

“Talkin ‘Bout a Revolution: A Haudenosaunee Response to the 250th”

As we welcome 2026, towns and cities across the country are preparing to celebrate a pivotal milestone in American history. The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence declared the colonists’ intent to establish an autonomous new country. Parades, reenactments of battles, patriotic tie dying, coins, postage stamps, and commemorations of the founding fathers bring to light the struggle for independence with a heroic and celebratory storyline. 

While these efforts to bring together a deeply divided country by honoring our shared colonial past might be useful, they often omit the decisive impact of the American Revolution on Indigenous sovereignty and cultural traditions.    The Revolution splintered the long-united Haudenosaunee Confederacy when the six nations, and individuals within those nations, chose to support opposite sides of the revolt. The costs to those who sided with the British was extensive. The Sullivan-Clinton Campaign implemented a scorched earth policy that destroyed 40 Iroquois towns. The establishment of the United States would herald massive displacement from traditional homelands and, regardless of allegiance, usher in an era of forced assimilation and residential schools. This exhibit will provide a platform to explore this alternate narrative. Eighteen artists including Peter Jemison, Sayokla Kindness, Carla Hemlock, and others from across Hudenosaunee Country will offer their insightful, at times divergent, viewpoints on this foundational American anniversary. The exhibit will feature sculpture, beadwork, painting, digital works, and more. 

 

"Separated but Unbroken: The Haudenosaunee Boarding School Experience" explores the lasting impact of the Thomas Indian School, once located on the Cattaraugus Reservation south of Buffalo, NY, and The Mohawk Institute near Branford, Ontario. These institutions, which enrolled a significant number of Haudenosaunee students, were part of a larger system that sought to erase Indigenous identities while deeply shaping the lives of those who endured them. Co-curated by Erin Keaton (Mohawk), the exhibition sheds light on Haudenosaunee resilience.

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Opening Reception for 2026 Special Exhibitions

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Join staff and curators for an opening and introduction to this year’s special exhibitions: “Once a Tree: Continuity, Creativity, and Connection” and “Separated but Unbroken: The Haudenosaunee Boarding School Experience.” Included in Museum admission.

 

Cobleskill-Richmondville Student Art Exhibit

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Selected works by second graders inspired by native cultures and created under the instruction of art teacher Lori Masterson will be presented in the lower-level Interactive Museum. 

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Special Event: Roots, Rhythm, and Ale

Friday, Aug. 7, 5-9 p.m.

Join us for the Iroquois Museum’s lively annual fundraiser featuring headliner zydeco group The Rubber Band, dancing, an artisan market, delicious food and beer for purchase, and a silent auction. Admission: $20 includes Museum admission, a commemorative cup, and a beer ticket; $10 includes Museum admission and concert only. All proceeds benefit the Museum’s education programs. 

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Special Event: 43rd Annual Iroquois Arts Festival

Saturday and Sunday, September 5 & 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Celebrate Haudenosaunee creativity at this vibrant event featuring an all-Iroquois Art Market showcasing both traditional and contemporary arts and fine crafts.

Highlights include:

• Sky Dancers from Six Nations Reserve (Ontario) performing traditional Iroquois social dances, with opportunities for the public to join in.

• Onondaga storyteller Perry Ground, captivating audiences with dramatic tales of daring feats and adventures

• A family activity area with hands-on crafts.

• Wildlife rehabilitator Kelly Martin, discussing regional conservation and presenting native animals, including birds of prey.

• The Museum’s archaeology department, offering artifact identification and demonstrations of early technologies like flintknapping.

Immerse yourself in Haudenosaunee art, culture, and storytelling.

Cost: $8 members/$10 non-members/$5 children ages 5-17/free children under 5

 

Special Event: Early Technology Day

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Early Technology Day invites visitors to explore ancient skills and survival techniques through interactive demonstrations. Experience flint knapping (the art of making chipped stone tools), fire making, cordage making, atlatl spear throwing, and early archery. The Museum’s archaeology department will showcase projectile points, tools, and local archaeological finds, offering insights into early technologies. If you have a potential artifact, bring it along—Museum experts will be available to help identify it. Included in Museum admission.

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These events are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and friends and members of the Iroquois Museum.