About the Museum The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, a new state-of-the-art, tribally owned-and-operated complex, brings to life the story of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and serves as a major resource on the history of the Tribe, the histories and cultures of other tribes, and the region's natural history. Utilizing the latest in exhibit design and technology and based on years of discussion with Tribal members and scholarly research, the institution, with a total project cost of $193.4 million, presents multi-sensory dioramas and exhibits of eastern woodland and Mashantucket Pequot life. Films and videos, interactive programs, archival materials, ethnographic and archaeological collections, and commissioned works of art and traditional crafts by Native artisans are featured in the exhibits. The 308,000-square-foot complex, whose research facility serves as a major resource for scholars and the general public on American and Canadian Native histories and cultures, is one of the most innovative and comprehensive centers of its kind in the United States. Date Opened August 11, 1998 Facility The Museum consists of permanent exhibits, the Mashantucket Gallery (a gallery for temporary exhibits), classrooms, a 320-seat auditorium, a restaurant, a museum shop and administrative offices. The Research Center houses a library, a children's library, reading rooms, stacks, a research department, storage facilities and conservation laboratories. The building is designed to interact with its surrounding environment and maintain the ecological integrity of the area. It embraces the tree line and is nestled into the landscape, with two of the five levels of the facility below ground. A 185-foot stone and glass tower provides visitors with sweeping views of the swamp and region. The large, circular glass and steel Gathering Space serves as an arrival area. The restaurant features a variety of Native American cuisines each month, and the museum shop specializes in original, contemporary Native American arts and crafts. Architect Polshek and Partners, Architects, New York, N.Y Exhibit Designer Conceptual exhibit design by tribal members, consultants, and DMCD Incorporated, New York. Exhibit design by Design Division, Inc., New York. Education A wide range of educational programs, including films, performances, festivals, lectures and conferences, are being offered in various indoor and outdoor spaces. Activities and programs have been created for schoolchildren and visitors of all ages. Museum Collections The permanent collection emphasizes the eastern region of North America from the 16th to the 20th centuries, including toys, prayer books, cooking utensils, mats, blankets, and Southern New England baskets. Commissioned works of art and traditional crafts made by Native artisans are also in the collection. The collections will be featured in exhibits organized by the Museum and Research Center as part of an ongoing series of temporary presentations in the Mashantucket Gallery. Archaeological Study Intensive archaeological research has been conducted on the reservation since 1983. Teams of archaeologists have identified over 250 sites. These include a 9,000-year-old hunting camp called Sandy Hill, and a Pequot fort, circa 1675. A rich body of archaeological evidence has been uncovered from these diverse sites. Accessibility The Museum and Research Center is accessible to all visitors. Highlights include: an infrared communications system that enables the visually-impaired to navigate through the facility paired with audio interpretation of exhibits; closed captioning of all videos, films, and interactive programs; and maps, graphics and replica artifacts for hands-on exploration. Annual Attendance Annual visitor attendance averages 250,000 annually. Key Personnel Kimberly Hatcher-White, Executive Director Dr. Kevin A. McBride, Director of Research Trudie Lamb Richmond, Director of Public Programs Doug Currie, Head of Conservation