Events by this organizer

Wednesday, April 24, 7:00pm 
Virtual Program

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 the books we will be reading have been written by contemporary authors.

This month, in celebration of National Poetry Month, we will be reading and discussing Dragonfly Dance: Poems by Denise Lajimodiere (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa). In this collection of poems Lajimodiere opens a door into the lives of Native girls and women. Her poems, remarkable for their candor and sense of catharsis,  often reflect tensions between Native and white cultures. Unadorned, direct, and often raw, these riveting poems sear their way into our imaginations, inviting us into a world we might never have known.

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Sunday, April 28, 1:00pm and 3:00pm 
In-person Event

Have 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 and processing useful local minerals for use in tool making. This program will include discussion of local materials, as well as demonstration of traditional techniques used in ceramics, crafting stone axes and adzes, and flintknapping. The program will also include a walk down to a tributary of the Shepaug River to further investigate the onsite minerals. Join one of two sessions for a Program that is bound to “rock” your world!

Please note: Participants should dress appropriately for the weather, and wear sturdy footwear if they plan on joining the walk portion of this program. Portions of the hike will involve a steep section of trail.

Space is limited in each session and pre-registration is requested. Please visit our website to register online. Questions? Please email [email protected] or call (860) 868-0518. Price of participation: $10 for Members, $20 for Non-Members.

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In an immersive forest setting with no locks, keys or clocks, Wigwam Escape’s thematic puzzles challenge game players to hunt, find water and prepare food similar to how Native people did for thousands of years prior to European contact. The Institute for American Indian Studies, proudly presents a new way to interact with history, a themed escape room, Wigwam Escape.

Our museum’s mission is to “preserve and educate through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality and knowledge of Native American cultures”. We chose an escape room setting as an interactive and captivating way to educate the public about how pre-contact Native peoples lived within their environment over 500 years ago. This hand-on experience of history is demonstrated through a series of custom puzzles and hand crafted set, complete with a full sized traditionally sourced wigwam.

The full experience is 90 minutes in the museum’s Research Center. This includes a pre-game orientation, the one hour escape room centerpiece, and post-game popcorn snack and discussion when your team returns to the 21st Century. The game is set for 3 to 7 players and the cost is $25 per person, or $20 for our museum members or students.

More than just a game, Wigwam Escape is built to teach through experience and foster dialogue in a game that’s dynamic, challenging and entertaining. Visit Wigwam Escape for this must-do team building experience for friends, families and co-workers.

For more information or to book your escape room, go to: wigwamescape.org.

In an immersive forest setting with no locks, keys or clocks, Wigwam Escape’s thematic puzzles challenge game players to hunt, find water and prepare food similar to how Native people did for thousands of years prior to European contact. The Institute for American Indian Studies, proudly presents a new way to interact with history, a themed escape room, Wigwam Escape.

Our museum’s mission is to “preserve and educate through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality and knowledge of Native American cultures”. We chose an escape room setting as an interactive and captivating way to educate the public about how pre-contact Native peoples lived within their environment over 500 years ago. This hand-on experience of history is demonstrated through a series of custom puzzles and hand crafted set, complete with a full sized traditionally sourced wigwam.

The full experience is 90 minutes in the museum’s Research Center. This includes a pre-game orientation, the one hour escape room centerpiece, and post-game popcorn snack and discussion when your team returns to the 21st Century. The game is set for 3 to 7 players and the cost is $25 per person, or $20 for our museum members or students.

More than just a game, Wigwam Escape is built to teach through experience and foster dialogue in a game that’s dynamic, challenging and entertaining. Visit Wigwam Escape for this must-do team building experience for friends, families and co-workers.

For more information or to book your escape room, go to: wigwamescape.org.

The Institute for American Indian Studies is planning for summer camp in 2024. Join experienced educators and camp staff on a journey through one, or several, themes related to our museum’s mission. Each week, while hiking in the woods, playing games, doing crafts, and making friends, campers will work together to complete a group project. By doing so, campers will not only learn valuable life skills, but will also have a positive impact on future visitors, students, and campers.

Who: Children Ages 6-12
When: June 24th through August 9th (Mondays through Fridays from 9:00am – 3:00pm)
Where: The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT
Pricing: $315 for Members, $375 for Non-Members. Camp pricing includes a deposit of $100, to be paid at the time of registration

Register here

The Institute for American Indian Studies is planning for summer camp in 2024. Join experienced educators and camp staff on a journey through one, or several, themes related to our museum’s mission. Each week, while hiking in the woods, playing games, doing crafts, and making friends, campers will work together to complete a group project. By doing so, campers will not only learn valuable life skills, but will also have a positive impact on future visitors, students, and campers.

Who: Children Ages 6-12
When: June 24th through August 9th (Mondays through Fridays from 9:00am – 3:00pm)
Where: The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT
Pricing: $315 for Members, $375 for Non-Members. Camp pricing includes a deposit of $100, to be paid at the time of registration

Register here

The Institute for American Indian Studies is planning for summer camp in 2024. Join experienced educators and camp staff on a journey through one, or several, themes related to our museum’s mission. Each week, while hiking in the woods, playing games, doing crafts, and making friends, campers will work together to complete a group project. By doing so, campers will not only learn valuable life skills, but will also have a positive impact on future visitors, students, and campers.

Who: Children Ages 6-12
When: June 24th through August 9th (Mondays through Fridays from 9:00am – 3:00pm)
Where: The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT
Pricing: $315 for Members, $375 for Non-Members. Camp pricing includes a deposit of $100, to be paid at the time of registration

Register here