November is Native American Heritage Month. Learn more about Native American history at these local sites:
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO, 816.751.1278) is home to an outstanding permanent Native American collection, but currently their feature exhibition is the Plains Indians: Artists of Earth and Sky (showing through Jan. 11). The distinct Plains aesthetic—singular, ephemeral and materially rich—will be revealed through an array of forms and media: painting and drawing; sculptural works in stone, wood, antler and shell; porcupine quill and glass bead embroidery; feather work; painted robes depicting figures and geometric shapes; richly ornamented clothing; composite works; and ceremonial objects.
- Fort Osage (107 Osage St., Sibley, MO, 816.650.3278) is a living history site portraying the work and livelihood of Fort Osage residents in the early 1800s. The fort, constructed under the leadership of William Clark, was a Federal outpost in the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. The historic site tells the story of the fort, of Lewis and Clark, the Louisiana Purchase and the Osage tribe.
- Haskell Indian Nations University Cultural Center & Museum (155 Indian Ave., Lawrence, KS, 785.832.6686). The cultural center offers information on tribal history, art and culture and their influence in Kansas. The center celebrates the living heritage and culture of all tribal peoples today.
- Shawnee Indian Mission Museum (3403 W. 53rd St., Fairway, KS, 913.262.0867). Shawnee Mission, like many other missions, was established as a manual training school attended by boys and girls from Shawnee, Delaware and other Indian nations from 1839 to 1862. Visit this 12-acre National Historic Landmark and learn the stories of those who lived there.