Last updated: 7/25/2016
Exeter, Rhode Island
Address
390 A Summit Road
Exeter, RI 02822

Staff

Loren Spears
phone: 401-491-9063
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
Exhibitions
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Museum Events
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DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

March 11 - 14, 2025

Knoxville, Tennessee

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

Tuesday, March 11 - Friday, March 14, 2025

Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, Tennessee

Hosted by: Tennessee Association of Museums

Tennessee museums are full of hope. But how are they turning hope into reality

With the Semiquincentennial quickly approaching in 2026, the state's museum community if approaching a turning point, and is now a great time to take stock and develop a vision for the future

The Tennessee Association of Museums' 64th Annual Conference in Knoxville will challenge the state's museums to think ahead and share their hopes, the best practices and strategies for turning those hoes into realities, and the rewards that come from aspirational thinking

The 2025 TAM Annual Conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN.

For more information, please call 615-495-3354 or email hawkins@aaslh.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

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