In partnership with Potawatomi Casino Hotel, Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) is honoring Native American Heritage Month this November with special programming, events and free admission days that provide visitors with opportunities to learn about America’s Indigenous peoples and connect with Native community members as they share their experiences, traditions, languages and more.
In addition, Wisconsin Tribal members receive free Museum admission all month long.
"Native American Heritage Month is a celebration of the diverse voices and cultures of the First Nations in Wisconsin and beyond. It's a time to recognize the many contributions of Native peoples, as well as their history, unique connections to this land, Tribal sovereignty and the many ways they are thriving today,” said James Flores, MPM Manager of Tribal Relations.
“Thanks to generous support from Potawatomi Casino Hotel, MPM is excited to offer free admission to Wisconsin Tribal members in November and invite the public to the Museum throughout the month for special events that highlight Indigenous foods, powwow dances and past and present efforts to keep Native American cultures alive.”
Throughout the month, including the dates listed below, Museum educators will be on the exhibit floors to talk about Wisconsin’s Tribes, Oneida white corn, the many uses of birchbark and more.
Friday, Nov. 1: Isabel Bader Community Free Day, presented by Bader Philanthropies
All visitors enjoy free admission in honor of Isabel Bader Community Free Day, which celebrates the first day of Native American Heritage Month and what would have been late Milwaukee philanthropist Isabel Bader’s 98th birthday. Isabel Bader worked as a teacher for nearly three decades, and later in life, became a strong ally of Indigenous communities.
"As a champion of Indigenous communities and an educator at heart, Isabel would have jumped at the opportunity to enable more people to join Milwaukee Public Museum in learning about and celebrating the many contributions First Nations peoples have made to Wisconsin and the world," said Dan Bader, Isabel’s stepson and the President & CEO of Bader Philanthropies.
As part of Isabel Bader Community Free Day, visitors are invited to enjoy complimentary refreshments at 1 p.m. in the Ground Floor Garden Gallery in honor of Isabel’s philanthropic legacy.
Saturday, Nov. 2: Native American Heritage Celebration
In recognition of the kickoff weekend to Native American Heritage Month, the Ho-Chunk drum group Little Priest will be at MPM to perform songs while dancers dressed in regalia demonstrate different dance styles seen at powwows today. MPM’s Research Curator of Cultural Sciences, Dr. Aaron Atencio, and Curator of Anthropology Collections Dawn Scher Thomae will be on the Second Floor to chat with visitors about the Museum’s Native American exhibits and initiatives.
Thursday, Nov. 7: Kohl's Thank You Thursday
All visitors enjoy free admission as part of Kohl’s Thank You Thursday. Visitors can explore the Second Floor’s Native American exhibits as well as stop by several stations where Museum educators will be talking about Native American foods, histories and life today.
Thursday, Nov. 7, 6-7:30 p.m.: "Light the Path" Documentary Screening
Visitors are invited to attend a free screening of the film "Light the Path," which is a powerful story of resilience and self-determination from Indian Community School, located in Franklin. Their story is beautifully told through the collective voices of many in the urban Native community. Indian Community School representatives will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions afterward.
Thursday, Nov. 14, 5:30-9 p.m.: Native American Heritage Month Dinner
Ketapanen Kitchen, Chicago's first Native American pop-up kitchen and catering company, will be serving delicious Indigenous cuisine during this special dinner event at MPM. Executive Chef Jessica Walks First (Pamonicutt) of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin recently appeared on Bravo’s Milwaukeebased season of Top Chef as a guest judge for the “Indigenous Foods” episode.
"Indigenous food is love. It’s connection. It’s healing," said Walks First.
The program will include remarks from Walks First, a presentation by artist Mark Fischer of the Oneida Nation about his Indigenous art installation for the Future Museum and songs by Ho-Chunk drum group Little Priest.
Thursday, Nov. 21, 6-7:30 p.m.: Virtual Lecture
This free, virtual lecture, titled “Returning to the People: How MPM works with Indigenous groups to bring their history and ancestors home,” will provide a brief overview of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a federal law passed in 1990 that regulates how institutions like museums return Native American items to descendants and tribes, and NAGPRA’s impact on MPM’s collections, exhibits and programs.
More information about MPM’s Native American Heritage Month programming, events and resources is available at here.
