Updated: 7/25/2016 
Tomaquag Museum
Exeter, Rhode Island
Description
INDIGENOUS HISTORY, CULTURE, ARTS, AND MOTHER EARTH...

Rhode Island's only museum entirely dedicated to telling the story of the state's Indigenous Peoples. Tomaquag Museum has a unique collection of over 20,000 cultural objects along with hundreds of thousands of pieces of archival materials focusing on the Native peoples of New England and Rhode Island. The Museum is well-respected among Rhode Island's and New England's cultural museums and is visited each year by travelers from across the United States and throughout the world.

Mission

The Mission of Tomaquag Museum is to educate the public and promote thoughtful dialogue regarding Indigenous history, culture, arts, and Mother Earth and connect to Native issues of today.

History

Tomaquag Museum was established over 50 years ago by Eva Butler an anthropologist with the guidance of the late Princess Red Wing (Narragansett/ Wampanoag) and is Rhode Island's only museum entirely dedicated to telling the story of the state's Indigenous Peoples. Tomaquag, located in historic Arcadia Village in Exeter since the early 70?s, is also the only Rhode Island museum operated by Native people. It originated in Tomaquag Valley, a hamlet inside the village of Ashaway in the town of Hopkinton, RI.

Research Collections

We offer a video podcast on our website which researchers may find useful for some content. The videos can be watched directly on our website, or the podcast can be subscribed to (for free) using the podcast app on any apple iPhone or iPad or also via android tablet or phone.

Researchers may also contact us with their needs, and we can provide resources for Native American book authors and other information.

We also have content available for sale through our online store: http://www.tomaquagmuseum.org/store/

Programs
CHILDREN'S HOUR

Children's Hour is our free, weekly program on Thursdays from 9am to 10am that will teach the history and culture of the Narragansett Tribal Nation through music, dance, and storytelling.

Children's Hour targets preschool and homeschoolers during the school year and the families during school vacation. It will be an intergenerational experience with parent, grandparents, or other caregivers participating with infants to middle schoolers in the mix.

Facilities

We feature one exhibit space, a small building for workshops and meetings, and outdoor yard for cultural programs and lectures. Please see our website for details, or call us at 401-491-9063

Governance
Tomaquag Museum's Core Values:

Tomaquag Museum's Core Values are rooted in our Indigenous beliefs. These beliefs drive our organization's strategy and decisions and contribute in a definitive manner to its success. The very culture of the organization is determined by our traditional values and philosophy. These values are the ideals and inspiration that guide the decisions and actions taken by Tomaquag Museum and by its individual employees. As our organization continues to grow and develop it is recognized that these values will guide us into the future.

Respect: Fostering trust, collaboration, appreciation, diversity, honor, spirit path

Leadership: Promoting integrity, initiative, high standards, self-motivation, inner journey

Knowledge: Promoting curiosity, discovery, teaching, life-long learning, empowerment. Encouraging creativity, rigorous inquiry, analysis, documentation, communication, and upholding ethical standards and Indigenous principles

Responsibility: Encouraging legal, ethical and fiscal responsibility; stewardship, accountability, organizational and cultural continuity

Services

We offer an on-site gift shop of Native American handmade crafts, books,

Group Tours & Specialty Programs, are by Appointment 6 Days A Week, we book year round!

Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Group Tours
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

April 27 - April 29, 2025

Oregon Museum Association 2025 Conference

TBA

Independence, Oregon

Beginning in 2025, the OMA annual conference will be held in Spring rather than Fall

The conference this year is all about trying new things. We are hoping to organize the conference into the following four tracks: Collections Care, Leadership, Emergency Preparedness, and Tourism

Check our website for more details in early 2025

The OMA newsletter is emailed every month with updates on OMA events, museum news, other events, trainings, jobs, grants and more for the museum community in Oregon.

For more information, please email connect@oregonmuseums.org.

October 1 - October 4, 2025

Western Museums Association’s (WMA) 2025 Annual Meeting

TBA

Reno, Nevada

Save the Date for WMA 202

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, join us to build relationships and soar higher than ever before. With the theme of ELEVATE, WMA 2025 will explore ways to lift up the experiences of cultural professionals and the communities they serve.

In Reno, Nevada, 4,400 feet above sea level, we will forward the progress of museums by looking to the future.

May 6 - May 9, 2025

2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO

Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles, California

AAM 2025 will focus on the theme, Museums & Trust.

Museums have long inspired high levels of public trust, surpassing news outlets, government organizations, researchers and scientists, corporations, and social media platforms. This consistent finding underscores our institutions’ unique position in society as stewards of knowledge, culture, science, and history—areas where credibility and reliability are paramount

In an era marked by mistrust and misinformation, museums have a rare ability to counterbalance the proliferation of false narratives and polarized perspectives. Using our trusted position, we can cultivate a more healthy, empathetic, and informed society.

But to do so, we must maintain our credibility proactively, embracing thoughtful, transparent, and collaborative practices that will defend against influences like bias, resource challenges, abuse of power, and social injustice

An Incredible MuseumExpo

AAM is again partnering this year with the Museum Store Association to host an incredible combined expo hall. Find the most innovative services, products, and solutions in the museum field. With 350 exhibitors, you are bound to find the right partner for your museum’s current challenges and opportunities.

May 5 - May 9, 2025

Museum Store Association FORWARD 2025 in LA

The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Join MSA in LA

We’re excited about our next MSA FORWARD Conference & Expo in “The City of Angels” – Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the American Alliance of Museums

Join the Museum Store Association (MSA) and hundreds of nonprofit retail professionals for the 70th Annual MSA FORWARD Retail Conference & Expo, taking place May 5-9, 2025 at The Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California

Once again, MSA FORWARD will be held in conjunction with the 2025 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & Expo

Learn best practices and new ideas for store merchandising, operations, marketing, and sale

Participate in dedicated networking events and create connections that will inspire new ideas

Meet with over 200 MSA vendors about your product needs

Hear from knowledgeable industry experts during session breakouts and keynote presentations

Network with AAM attendees and exhibitor

September 10 - September 13, 2025

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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