• Snow Snake Workshop and Live Snake Meet and Greet

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Saturday, February 28 Snow Snake Workshop #1: 12:00pm, 1 hour blockSnow Snake Workshop #2: 2:00pm, 1 hour block Did you know that snow snake, a traditional winter game commonly practiced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), is still played today in many Northern Native American communities? This game involves a stick that is carved and decorated to […]

  • Annual Maple Sugar Festival

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Saturday, March 7 | 11:00 AM - 3:00PM Looking for a sweet end to the winter months? As the days get warmer, but the nights remain cold, it’s the right condition for maple sugaring! Join IAIS staff for an event celebrating the gift of Maple Sugar. Throughout the day, our staff will demonstrate various traditional […]

  • Kindling New Knowledge: Fire Starting Workshop

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Saturday, March 14 | 1:00PM How prepared would you be to survive in the local environment without twenty-first century technology? For traditional Indigenous communities of this area, fire would have been an important tool throughout the year. As winter winds to a close and we look forward to the sights and sounds of spring, it’s a […]

  • March Virtual Book Club – WE SURVIVED THE NIGHT by Julian Brave Noisecat

    Wednesday, March 25 | 7:00PMThis is a virtual event. Looking to expand your reading list and discuss a variety of issues and topics important to Native people? Please join our virtual book club, As They Speak: Native Voices in Today’s Literature. Based on a variety of topics and featuring a range of genres, all of […]

  • NATIVE AMERICA: THE STORY OF THE FIRST PEOPLES, Book Talk and Signing with Dr. Ken Feder

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Saturday, March 28 | 1:00PMNative America: The Story of the First Peoples (Princeton University, 2025) is an epic deep history of the Indigenous peoples of North America, covering more than 20,000 years of astonishing diversity, adaptation, resilience, and continuity. Join its author Dr. Ken Feder, professor emeritus (anthropology) from Central Connecticut State University, for a […]

  • Every Color Tells A Story: Natural Dye Workshop

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Sunday, April 12 | 1:00PMDo you like weaving, crocheting, or sewing? Have you ever wondered what makes the yarn have beautiful colors? Natural dyes have been around for nearly 30,000 years; the practice of processing and producing dyes has been passed down from generation to generation. Join Ashley Reiske, IAIS Museum Educator and events coordinator, […]

  • Uncivil Education: Federal Indian Boarding Schools in America

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Saturday, April 18 | 12:00PMWith generous support from Historic New England, the Institute for American Indian Studies has developed a new traveling exhibit called Uncivil Education: Federal Indian Boarding Schools in America. Uncivil Education addresses the history of Federal Indian Boarding schools in America and the assimilationist policies that led to their creation. Drawing directly […]

  • Give Local 2026

    Tuesday April 21 at 7:00am - Wednesday April 22 at 7:00pmThe Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills Give Local is an annual 36-hour online fundraising campaign uniting donors, businesses, and local charities to provide much-needed support for our community.  For this year’s Give Local we encourage you to support experiences that yield generational impact! Again and […]

  • Missing Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit Awareness Week

    The Institute for American Indian Studies 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT, United States

    Red Dress Installation at IAIS Saturday, May 2 - Wednesday, May 6 Each year, thousands of women, children, and 2 Spirit Native Americans go missing or are found murdered in the United States and Canada. Gaps in data make the true scope difficult to estimate, but the murder rate of Native women is more than ten times […]