Iroquois Museum Announces Full schedule of Events and Exhibitions for 2025 Season

HOWES CAVE — The Iroquois Museum is pleased to announce its full schedule of workshops, artist demonstrations, and special events for the 2025 season, including the popular 42nd Annual Iroquois Arts Festival, Haudenosaunee social dancers, and nine opportunities to learn directly from Haudenosaunee artists.

The season kicks off with an opening reception for “Once a Tree” and “Separated but Unbroken” on Saturday, May 3, from 1 to 4 p.m. and will remain on view through Nov. 30. The opening will feature a presentation by Mohawk author Dawn Cheryl Hill, the daughter of two residential school survivors. 

A member of the Turtle Clan, Hill grew up in the Tuscarora Territory in Lewiston, NY, and now resides at the Six Nations Territory in Ohsweken, Ontario. Her debut book, Memory Keeper, was nominated for the Indigenous Voices and 2022 First Nations Communities Read awards. She will offer a book signing following her presentation.

“Once a Tree: Continuity, Creativity, and Connection” explores the deep-rooted significance of trees in Haudenosaunee culture, tradition, and creative expression. Featuring the work of 42 artists and more than 100 objects—including decorative and utilitarian baskets, cradleboards, snowshoes, ladles, lacrosse sticks, toys, instruments, carvings, and sleds—this exhibition highlights the important relationship between nature and artistry. Selected from the Museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition was created with guidance from curatorial consultants Terry Chrisjohn III (Oneida), Preston Jacobs (Mohawk), and Sheila Ransom (Mohawk).

"Separated but Unbroken: The Haudenosaunee Boarding School Experience" explores the lasting impact of the Thomas Indian School, once located on the Cattaraugus Reservation south of Buffalo, NY, and The Mohawk Institute near Brantford, Ontario. These institutions, which enrolled a significant number of Haudenosaunee students, were part of a larger system that sought to erase Indigenous identities while deeply shaping the lives of those who endured them. Co-curated by Erin Keaton (Mohawk), the exhibition sheds light on Haudenosaunee resilience.

"We are excited to support Haudenosaunee artists and culture this season through a range of engaging workshops and demos — from basket and lacrosse stick making to traditional beadwork," said Museum Director Steph Shultes. "New this year, we are also hosting a summer solstice celebration with reiki and yoga, alongside special exhibitions exploring the Indigenous boarding school experience and the role of trees in Haudenosaunee artistry."

The museum is at 324 Caverns Road in Howes Cave. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.iroquoismuseum.org.