Wewoka Chamber & Business Directory 2020 | Page 16

Page 16 - Wewoka Chamber Directory 2020
OUR STORY . . . SEMINOLE NATION MUSEUM
A
lthough it is one of the oldest, most
culturally diverse and historically
significant communities in Oklahoma,
for many years Wewoka had no avenue of
promoting and caring for its history. In response
to this need, citizens of Wewoka and members
of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma established
the Seminole Nation Historical
Society in 1972 to perpetuate
and preserve the history of the
Seminole Nation and its capital
of Wewoka. Its governing body
was, and still is composed of
individuals representing the great
diversity of the Seminole County
population. It is a nonprofit, 501
(c) (3), charitable organization
dedicated to ensuring the
success of its vision through a
combination of ethnological
programming and educational
outreach.

The center of the Society’s
operation is the Seminole
Nation Museum. The museum
opened in the fall of 1974 as
the culmination of almost ten
year’s planning and labor by
the community. It is housed in
the former Wewoka Community
Center, a native stone building
built by the WPA in 1937.
Originally, the facility contained
approximately eighteen hundred
square feet of exhibit space and
a small office and gift shop.
Today, it has grown to include
almost four thousand square
feet of display space, a research
library, expanded arts and crafts
center, and an art gallery that
displays original works of art as
well as hosts traveling exhibits
throughout the year. The museum
chronicles the story of the people
and events that shaped the Indian Territory home of
the Seminoles since its creation following the Civil
War. Through life-size exhibits, artwork and rare
artifacts, the museum reveals to visitors the social,
cultural, economic and educational heritage of
these early day pioneers.

Since opening four decades ago, the Seminole
Nation Museum has hosted over a half a million
visitors from every state in the Union and over one
hundred forty foreign countries. It founded and
co-sponsored Wewoka’s award winning Sorghum
Festival, an annual fall event that brings upwards
of 20,000 visitors to our community to experience
historical based demonstrations, re-enactments and
programming for the arts. In 1985, the Seminole
Nation Historical Society was the
recipient of the Community Service
Award from the Oklahoma Arts
Council for promoting cultural
activities in Seminole County.

The museum offers a number
of special exhibits and programs
throughout the year for both adults
and children.
Adult learning
courses cover various topics from
art education to sewing Seminole
patchwork. Children can experience
Seminole culture and history during
after school sessions or can play a
game of stick ball on the museum
grounds. On an annual basis,
general attendance at the Seminole
Nation Museum averages above
10,000 individuals. Approximately
1500 of those visitors are adults
and students attending special
educational
workshops
or
programs.

In addition to numerous in-
house tours, the museum also
provides traveling educational
programs across Oklahoma and the
Southeast. In the last five years, over
20,000 students and adults have
been entertained and educated on
Seminole history, culture and lore
through these programs.

For more information about the
Seminole Nation Museum and our
programs visit our website www.
SeminoleNationMuseum.org
or
follow us on Facebook.