A Word From Membership

Happy spring!

Here in South Florida, the weather is beautiful.

BAMM (Broward Attractions and Museums Month) Do you live or plan to visit Southeast Florida in June? Make sure to take advantage of BAMM. As a member of Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum or any of the other 16 participating organizations you can visit all during the month of June FREE…What a deal!  Check out www.BAMMinfo.org for additional information.

As part of BAMM we are hosting a Storytelling workshop, featuring Moses Jumper Jr., Seminole historian, re-enactor and poet; Tuesday June 26, 2012 at 11am.  This is free to Museum members and BAMM participants and open to the public.

 

Museum Store In addition to our selection of Seminole patchwork, books, CDs and jewelry, we have just received new retail items…. TRACK earrings in sterling silver including snake, otter, panther, bird, toad, deer (bear tracks pictured at right) from Semaki & Bird, just $19.95.

 

 

 

 

Mosaic Art Wall – will feature two Seminole artists this summer. The contemporary work of painter Elgin Jumper will be shown June 8 through July 16, and photographer Marty Bowers of Tampa will show July 20 through September 4.

“Three Seminole Scouts” by Noah Billie
From Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki permanent collection 1991.3.1

     

Richard William Hubbard
From Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki permanent collection 2000.123.1

Reflections Across Time: Seminole Portraits – September 1, 2012 – November 4, 2012

Presented in collaboration with The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University and with pieces from the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of American Art, this exhibit will depict differences between historical interpretations of Seminole warriors by artists of the past with the presentation of these figures by modern Seminole artists.

To enhance your Museum experience we offer free tours on most days, check the calendar on our website for times and days.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum members are always admitted free.  If you would like Museum membership information, please email marybirch-hanson@semtribe.com or call 954.364.5205.

I look forward to seeing you at the Museum. 

 

 

Mary Birch-Hanson

Membership Coordinator

 

Happy Holidays!

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum will mark its 15^th anniversary on August 27, 2012.  Whether you are an original member, one of our first guests or a virtual guest; we hope that you join us in celebrating this important milestone.  For fifteen years Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum has been a bridge to the past and a beacon for the future. The Museum’s journey of innovation, collaboration, and accreditation has been exciting and fulfilling.  The early vision and hard work of so many talented and dedicated individuals, laid the ground work for a beautiful and informative Seminole and Florida experience. 

Our newest exhibit is: Mosaic: The Art of Ahfachkee Students, Big Cypress Reservation; currently featuring works of the K – 2^nd grade students of Ahfachkee School in Big Cypress. The school’s art teacher Ivette Lopez used the work of Paul Klee and El Greco to inspire her students.  The beautiful, colorful results are framed and hung in the Museum.  The student art exhibition is an ongoing, collaborative project of the Museum and Tribal students from the Ahfachkee School and the Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School on the Brighton Reservation.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum tour guides were all recently certified as interpretive guides from the National Association for Interpretation.  The 4-day CIG training was equal to a college level course in museum studies. Having staff that have gone through this training moves us toward our goal of providing you, and all our guests a more informative and fulfilling museum experience.

Let’s Move, Museums & Gardens – 489 museums, zoos and gardens have signed on to include and promote healthy lifestyle choices in their exhibits and programs. Let’s Move is a program instituted by First Lady Michelle Obama and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – a federal agency.  The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is a Let’s Move institution. An upcoming exhibit at the Museum, Through the Eyes of the Eagle, comes along at just the right time as it coincides with the Let’s Move initiative.  The exhibit is a series of large watercolor paintings based on a series of children’s books written by Georgia Perez and illustrated by Patrick Rolo (Bad River Band of Ojibwe, Wisconsin) and Lisa A. Fifeld (Oneida Tribe, Wisconsin). It was originally developed by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the Tribal leaders Diabetes Committee and Indian Health Services. The exhibit runs February – April 2012.  We hope you can visit.   

Museum Store: In addition to our selection of Seminole patchwork, books, CDs and jewelry; we have just received our holiday ornament. A red ball with a band of patchwork, it comes boxed, ready for gifting. It’s just $12.95.  You can order this ornament by emailing rebeccapetrie@semtribe.com or calling the Museum Store at 877.902.1113 ext. 12224.

We hosted our first Birdwalk on the Boardwalk during AIAC. Hendry County Audubon Society and its members led the morning walks. Here is our AIAC bird list: Northern Perula, Grey Catbird, American Redstart, Blue Grey Gnatcatcher, Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Wilson’s Warbler (#255 on one watcher’s life list), Palm Warbler, Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Red Shouldered Hawk, Magnolia Warbler, White Ibis, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron.  Heard but not seen: House Wren and Indigo Bunting.  Pictured at right is a Red Shouldered Hawk I saw on Sunday morning.

The Museum has introduced our first volunteer program; providing unique opportunities for members and interested individuals willing to lend a hand and interact with staff in such exciting areas of the Museum as Collections, Membership and Education. Volunteers will help to fulfill the mission of the Museum and work to create a strong collaborative, community environment, as well as garner a deeper, first-hand knowledge and understanding of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. More information about the volunteer program is available by contacting the Museum Administrative Assistant at (863) 902-1993 and we hope to hear from you soon!

Add this to your calendar: Battle of Okeechobee – reenactment: February 4 & 5, 2012, hosted by Battle of Okeechobee Battlefield Friends.  This event commemorates the largest and fiercest battle in the Seminole Wars, fought on Christmas Day 1837.  We will have an informational and retail booth at the event so we hope to see you there. Visit http://www.okeechobeebattlefield.com/index.html for additional information.

To enhance your Museum experience we offer free tours on most days, check the calendar on our website for times and days.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum members are always admitted free.  If you would like Museum membership information, please email marybirch-hanson@semtribe.com or call 954.364.5205.

I look forward to seeing you at the Museum. 

Mary Birch-Hanson

Membership Coordinator

Membership Happenings

September Membership Blog

You can already feel the change in the weather, as the days get shorter, the sunlight turns golden and our fine feathered winter visitors (both human and birds) are on their way south.

 

Our Exhibits Manager Greg Palumbo was showing us the new Microsoft Surface touchtable program called Camp Life.  It’s an interactive program, geared to kindergarten – 4^th grade children, that seeks to acquaint them with Seminole camp life in the 1890s.

 

 

 

 

 

Museum Store – New item:  generous 48″ umbrella with a clear acrylic shaft and a light-up center, just $24.95 (Museum members, take advantage of your member discount.)

Contact the Museum Store at (877) 902-1113 ext. 12224 with your questions about these items.

 

 

American Indian Arts Celebration (AIAC) – November 4-6.  Join us for a celebration of traditional and contemporary Native American art, music, and dance from across the country.   Delicious food will be available for purchase.

Friday is AIAC Youth Day, featuring crafts, animal shows and special archaeological programming. There is great programming everyday for school age children, including a “take-away craft.”

Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) will be demonstrating, providing hands on learning opportunities and daily talks about their work.

The full AIAC schedule will be posted by the middle of October. 

Current exhibits

Tools of War, looks at the changing technology of weapons and how these advancements shaped the Seminole Wars.  This exhibit features great items from our collection, including weaponry from 1817 -1858. 

From Surviving to Thriving: An Everglades Economy is also available for your viewing.  It is a chronological look at how the geographical area commonly known as the Everglades, has sustained the Seminole Tribe of Florida from the mid 1800’s to the present.  Learn how some of the deliberate attempts to change the Everglades have impacted the ecology of South Florida and how they have positively and negatively affected the Tribe.

To enhance your Museum experience we offer free tours on most days, check the calendar on our website for times and days.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum members are always admitted free.  If you would like Museum membership information, please email marybirch-hanson@semtribe.com or call 954.364.5205.

I look forward to seeing you at the Museum. 

 

 

Mary Birch-Hanson

Membership Coordinator

Museum Membership Happenings

It’s summertime here at Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.  We are preparing for summer camp kids, family vacation groups and you. 

For those of you that have been our friends for a year or more, and live or visit Southeast Florida in June, be on the lookout for BAMM.  What is BAMM you ask?  It’s the Broward Attractions and Museums Month.  As a member of Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum or any of the other 17 participating organizations you can visit all in June FREE…What a deal!  Check out www.BAMMinfo.org for additional information.

Next time you visit Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, look for our red shouldered hawk (south Florida pale adult) and his new mate.  They have built a nest right outside our curatorial building.  We have asked for ideas for names, have any suggestions?  Find us on facebook or email GregPalumbo@semtribe.com .

Our Tribal Historic Preservation Office is hosting another season of their archaeological field school.  University students will work directly with our THPO staff using ground penetrating radar (GPR), digging the site, processing artifacts in the lab and participating in a Chickee survey.  The site under study is potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

We also have, Tools Of War, our newest exhibit which looks at the changing technology of weapons and how these advancements shaped the Seminole Wars.  This exhibit features great items from our collection, including weaponry from 1817 -1858. 

Another current exhibit, From Surviving to Thriving: An Everglades Economy is also available for your viewing.  It is a chronological look at how the geographical area commonly known as the Everglades, has sustained the Seminole Tribe of Florida from the mid 1800’s to the present.  Learn how some of the deliberate attempts to change the Everglades have impacted the ecology of South Florida and how they have affected the Tribe in both positive and negative ways.

Our Museum Store also has new merchandise relating to the Tools of War exhibit.  In addition to a catalog of the exhibit, we have: sword letter openers in brass, gorgets of brass and silver plate, and decorative wooden canteens similar to artifacts from our collects.  We are especially proud of our Bandolier Bag jewelry.  It was designed based on details form Osceola’s bag as well as other exhibit items.  Remember that members of the museum receive a 15% discount on all purchases!

Beginning Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 and running through Labor Day, September 5, 2011, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum will offer free admission to active-duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members). Active duty military includes: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active duty National Guard and Reserve members.  To learn more about Blue Star Families, visit http://www.bluestarfam.org.

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is proud to participate in Blue Star Museums; in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families.  The complete list of participating museums is available at http://www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

To enhance your Museum experience we offer free tours on most days, check the calendar on our website for times & days.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum members are always admitted free.  If you would like Museum membership information, please email marybirch-hanson@semtribe.com or call 954.364.5205.

I look forward to seeing you at the Museum. 

Mary Birch-Hanson

Membership Coordinator

A Note From Membership

It is the season for winter guests here in the sunshine state and at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum.  The weather is fine, the birds are here on their migration south and people are visiting from all over the U.S. and the world.

 

 

 

Tools of War exhibit opening.  This is our newest exhibit, which looks at the changing technology of weapons and how these advancements shaped the Seminole Wars. This exhibit features great items from our collection, including weaponry from the Seminole war period and earlier.  Museum members should have received their invitation.

 

From Surviving to Thriving: an Everglades Economy continues on view in the East Gallery.  It is a chronological look at how the geographical area commonly known as the Everglades has sustained the Seminole Tribe of Florida from the mid 1800s to the present. 

This year we have participated in several local festivals and events including Battle of Okeechobee Reenactment, Swamp Cabbage Festival, Brighton Field Days and South Florida Fair.  Our goal is to let people know about the Museum by providing information and directions.  It has been great fun meeting people and talking with them about all we have available.

A Conversation About Conservation with Museum Conservator Corey Smith, Thursday March 17 at Edison College Hendry/Glades Center.  We have collaborated with Edison College – Hendry/Glades Center, LaBelle Heritage Center, Clewiston Museum.  All entities are helping share the word and with members and within their communities.  Refreshments generously provided by Riverside Realty, Inc.  If you are in the area, please join us.

To enhance your Museum experience we offer free tours on most days, check the calendar on our website for times and days.

Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum members are always admitted to the Museum free and receive other great benefits.  If you would like Museum membership information, please email me at marybirch-hanson@semtribe.com or call 954.364.5205.

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the Museum. 

Mary Birch-Hanson

Membership Coordinator