Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum In Evanston Reopening With New Exhibitions

EVANSTON, IL — The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum in Evanston will reopen Oct. 1, after renovations, with two major exhibitions and a free public celebration planned for Indigenous Peoples' Day later that month.

The museum, formerly the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, is at 3001 Central St.

The reopening will introduce “The Gifts of Our World,” a permanent hands-on exhibition for children ages 3 to 10, and “Indigenous Chicago,” an exhibition tracing more than 500 years of Native history in the region that will remain on view for three years. Following the reopening, the museum also plans to present “Chicago's Legacy Hula - The Koana, The Hidden Stories and Historical Events of Hawaiians in Chicago” for a limited time.

“These exhibitions invite visitors of every age to see Chicago and the Great Lakes through a Native lens and to learn from histories that are still being written,” said Kim Vigue (Menominee/Oneida), executive director of the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum. “We are grateful to our partners at the Newberry Library and Kohl Children's Museum for making this possible.”

“The Gifts of Our World” is one of three exhibitions created through “Developing Respectful Citizens in a Diverse Country,” a project led by Kohl Children's Museum with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum and the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago. The project was made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Set within a wraparound mural of a Great Lakes forest, the children's exhibition includes 14 interactive stations. According to the museum, those features include a weather wall where visitors activate the sun, moon, wind and rain, a puzzle completed by trading pieces with others, and chalkboard surfaces for writing or drawing what they are thankful for. One station introduces the Seven Grandfather teachings of the Anishinaabe people.

“The open-ended experiences in ‘The Gifts of Our World’ invite visitors to play, learn, and reflect on the gifts all around us,” said Stephanie Bynum, vice president of programs at Kohl Children's Museum. “Through the exhibit design process with the Gichigamiin staff, I learned so much and deepened my appreciation and respect for the natural world. The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum is a very special place.”

First shown at the Newberry Library in 2024, “Indigenous Chicago” draws on the Newberry's Ayer Indigenous Studies Collection and new work by Native artists. The exhibition centers Indigenous voices, examines the effects of settler colonialism and looks at Indigenous futures, according to the museum. It also explores the histories of Tribal nations whose homelands include Chicago and the urban Native community in the city today.

“The ‘Indigenous Chicago’ project was created through five years of collaboration among the Newberry Library, Tribal nations, and members of the Chicago Native community,” said Astrida Orle Tantillo, president and librarian of the Newberry Library. Details on the free Oct. 12 celebration, museum hours and admission will be posted at www.gichigamiin-museum.org.