Event Types: Education

WAA is passionate about arts education. Whether you are an experienced artist or a novice, WAA offers a range of opportunities for creative exploration. We provide a nurturing place for people of all ages to develop their skills and explore new artistic directions with classes in painting, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and more.

Find the current classes here

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.

November Title: Night of the Living Rez: Stories by Morgan Talty

Virtual Book Club Discussion
Wednesday, November 30th @ 7:00pm

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 read are written by contemporary Native authors.

This month, we will be reading and discussing Night of the Living Rez: Stories by Morgan Talty (Penobscot). Set in a Native community in Maine, this collection of stories examines what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century, as well as what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy. Join the virtual conversation hosted by IAIS Staff on ZOOM.

In order to have a more intimate conversation, space is limited. This is a FREE event, but donations are appreciated.

Register here

We’re living in an era where optimism, inspiration and hope are as rare – and as luminescent – as multi-carat emeralds. The “sledgehammer effect” wrought by a historic number of overlapping crises — from the pandemic to recession, partisan toxicity to the war in Ukraine — has helped spawn a mental health epidemic marked by surging incidence of depression, suicide and addiction.

In a program designed to provide an antidote to that anxiety, Common Ground will profile those who have overcome adversity and trauma through grit, resilience and determination.

Register here

The Gunn Memorial Library and Museum are excited to introduce a new monthly book club – History Book Club.

History Book Club will meet the second Monday of the month at 1:00pm in the Wykeham Room at the Gunn Memorial Library. Participants will read nonfiction books on American history and meet to discuss. Museum Curator Amy Campanaro will facilitate the discussion and place historical topics in local context when appropriate. The first meeting date is Monday January 9 at 1:00pm our book is His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis. Copies of this book are available at the front desk of the library. Registration for the meeting is requested.

Register here

Most Americans argue matters have taken a turn for the worse. What do statistics say?
More details to come.

Learn more