The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center

The Mashantucket Museum and Research Center, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, has, in its short two-year life, embraced an ambitious mandate. Designed by the New York architectural firm of Polshek and Partners, and unveiled in 1998, the Mashantucket strives to accurately represent the Native American cultures of the eastern woodland tribes, a designation that encompasses several dozen groups that share the Algonkian language.

The once mighty Mashantucket Pequot tribe was nearly decimated in the eighteenth century, by disease and war. By 1850 it had dwindled to just thirty members, and by 1973, Elizabeth George and her grandson Skip Hayward were the only Pequots left on their reservation. Although they were living in ramshackle trailers, Skip was inspired by his grandmother's stories of their illustrious history, and he decided to restore the Pequot tribe. In the 1980's, he gained permission to build a bingo hall on the reservation. Within a few short years the bingo hall evolved into the enormous Foxwoods Resort, one of largest and richest casinos in the Western Hemisphere. Today, more than three hundred far-flung members of the tribe have returned to the reservation, and the casino's profits have provided the better part of the funding for The Mashantucket Museum and Research Center.

As a central repository of Native American culture, including the cultures of all eastern woodland tribes, the Mashantucket Museum is enjoying great success--and with nearly 35,000 titles, its library rivals the Newberry Library in Chicago as the preeminent scholarly institution for Native American studies.

The permanent collections utilize mixed media exhibits, and present information thematically. By employing a rich tapestry of modern media and pairing it with historical artifacts, the curators enable visitors to experience the museum on many levels-visual, auditory and tactile.

The centerpiece of the museum is a full-scale model of a Pequot village, based upon a village that was unearthed by archaeologists. Visitors can stroll past a half-acre exhibit with 12 wigwams populated by 51 life-like figures in authentic dress accompanied by a hand held audio presentation which reveals aspects of village life.

A scene from the walk through Pequot Village diorama.

A scene from "The Witness," a half hour film on the 1636-38 Pequot War. It is one of 13 films that are part of the exhibits at the Museum.

One of the most riveting exhibits is The Witness, a thirty minute film documenting the Pequot war, which raged in the 1630s.

The American colonists tricked the Pequots, and managed to pit half of the tribe against itself--then massacred them. For the Pequots this war is a defining moment in history, but is largely unknown by the rest of the world. The film brings a fascinating and disturbing piece of history to a wider audience.

In addition to the permanent collections, the museum curates a series of shows and traveling exhibits. Next year, the museum will mount an exhibit on the image of Native Americans as represented in popular media from the eighteenth to the twentieth century.

More information about:
The Mashantucket Peqout Museum and Research Center
110 Pequot Trail
P.O. Box 3180
Mashantucket, CT 06339-3180

By Paul Bennett