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Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
As an educational tool for both tribal members and the non-Seminole community, the
Seminole Tribe has opened a full-scale museum on the Big Cypress Reservation. The
primary purpose of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is to preserve and interpret the culture,
language and customs of the Florida Seminoles. In the Seminole language Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki
means "to learn." You are invited to come and learn about the exciting history and
culture of the Tribe. The museum exhibits and rare artifacts show how the Seminole
ancestors lived in the Florida Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. The museum film,
"We Seminoles," tells the Seminole story in their own words, including their dramatic
struggle to remain in Florida. Nature trails will take you throughout the beautiful
60-acre cypress dome. The museum also has interactive computers, and a native American
gift shop.
If you have any questions about the museum, please send e-mail to: museum@semtribe.com.
The History of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
In 1987, an internal study of the Tribe's cultural programs was conducted. The study indicated the need to collect, preserve, and maintain the Seminole language and culture. In January, 1989, the Seminole Tribal Museum Authority was chartered by the Tribal Council to meet this need.
A Master Plan was soon adopted by the Board of Commissioners. The goals and objectives stated that the museum would ". . . serve as the central repository for artifacts and information of the Seminole culture, and further the study and documentation of the heritage, language, oral traditions, religion, music, song, dance, and material cultural items . . ." In 1989, Billy L. Cypress became Executive Director of the Seminole Tribal Museum Authority, and specific plans were prepared for Building One of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum complex. A ground breaking ceremony took place in January, 1993.
Building One includes five thousand square feet of exhibits and rare artifacts, a five-screen orientation theater, a folklore theater, an archival vault and library, and a Native American gift shop. Also on the site are two miles of nature trails, ceremonial grounds, a Seminole "living" village, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Future plans for Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum include classrooms, seminar rooms, a conservation
lab, an auditorium, and dining area. Additional exhibits will include "Prehistoric to
European Contact," "Early Creek Settlement to Expansion into the Everglades," and
"Transitions of Seminole Culture and Technology in the Florida Environment."
About the Museum
| E-Mail: | museum@semtribe.com |
| Location: | Big Cypress Seminole Reservation The museum is located 17 miles north of Alligator Alley (Interstate 75) between Ft. Lauderdale and Naples. |
| Contacts: | Billy L. Cypress, Executive Director, (941) 902-1113 Peggy Davis Osceola, Development Specialist (954) 792-0745 Tom Gallaher, Development and Promotions Coordinator (954) 792-0745 |
| Overview: | The 60-acre site in the heart of the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation features exhibits on the history and culture of the Seminole people, a Seminole village, and over one mile of Everglades nature trails. |
| Exhibits: | Features rare Seminole artifacts, including items on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. These included moccasins and leggings, turtle shell rattles, bracelets and necklaces, and medicine baskets, as well as bows and arrows, and rare military knives and swords from the Seminole Wars. The museum also features one of the world's best collections of southeastern beaded shoulder bags. The exhibit gallery is computer interactive and features a fork-lore theater that presents the traditional beliefs and legends of the Seminole. |
| We invite you to become a member of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and help us preserve our unique Seminole culture. | ||
|---|---|---|
| $25 | Individual | |
| $50 | Family Clan | All of the above for the whole family |
| $250 | Osceola Circle | All of the above plus:
|
| $1,000 | Chairman's Circle | All of the above plus:
|
For more information about the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum,
please see the following article in the Extracts of the 40th Anniversary edition
of the Seminole Tribune:
The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum: An Interview with the Director
The next section is Billie Swamp Safari.
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