Saturday, April 13th 10:00AM - 1:00PM Native peoples traditionally recognized that all beings are related and that animals and plants can be our teachers. With the changes in the season, you might be seeing and hearing different sights and sounds if you take a walk in the woodland environment. Join IAIS Educator and Ecologist Susan […]
Sunday, April 28th1:00PM - 2:30PM & 3:00PM - 5:30PMHave you ever wondered how traditional indigenous communities knew which types of materials to use for making tools, and how to source them? Join traditional skills expert and IAIS Head of Fabrication and Exhibit Production Griffin Kalin for a class in which he will focus on identifying […]
Sunday, June 2nd10:00AM - 12:00PM Did you know that late spring and early summer is the best season to peel bark off of a tree? As such, it was the ideal time for local Native American communities to build and repair their traditional dwellings, crafts baskets, and make cordage for use in tool making and […]
Saturday, June 15th10:00AM - 12:00PM;1:00PM - 3:00PM For thousands of years, Native communities in the Eastern Woodlands lived in villages consisting of dome-shaped structures called wigwams, made out of saplings, bark and/or reeds. Our Replicated Algonkian Village is an important exhibit and teaching tool that thousands of students and visitors experience every year. Just as […]
Saturday, July 20th1PM - 3PM For thousands of years, indigenous communities have used natural fibers to make everything from shelter, to fishing equipment, to clothing. Join IAIS Educator and Ecologist Susan Scherf for an exciting and educational workshop in which participants will learn about various plant fibers. Try your hand at weaving cordage from locally […]
Saturday, September 21st1PM - 3PM For thousands of years, cultures throughout the world, including many Native American communities, used bows and arrows for utilitarian purposes, such as hunting. In modern times, archery is often used for recreational purposes, but it can still be an exciting way to practice patience, dexterity, hand-eye coordination and other useful […]
Sunday, September 22nd1PM - 3PM In many indigenous communities, plants are considered teachers because there is much that we can learn from them. As part of the annual Housatonic Heritage Walks program, join IAIS staff for a guided walk along our museum trails and learn about scientific and Indigenous understandings of local plant life. End […]
Sunday, October 27th1PM - 4PM In conjunction with our new temporary exhibit Earth, Water; Aired and Fired about the process of pottery creation in traditional Indigenous communities, join a hands-on pottery workshop led by the IAIS Research Department. Participants will learn about elements of traditional pottery, including clay sourcing, temper, building methods, surface treatment, decoration […]
Saturday, November 23rd1PM Indigenous peoples in South America began the process of domesticating corn, or maize, over 7,000 years ago. Over centuries of cross-pollination and cultural exchange, indigenous communities throughout the Americas helped to create hundreds of varieties of corn. Traditionally, corn was grown not just for eating, but for making everyday items and artwork, […]
Saturday, April 191PM - 3PM For generations, many Indigenous communities in the Americas have practiced a companion planting method known as the three sisters, using the combined strength of corn, beans, and squash to produce healthy gardens. Join IAIS Staff for a workshop and celebration of the renewal of life that accompanies spring after a […]
