Museums - Akwesasne Museum and Library

The Akwesasne Museum and Library was established in 1972 and acquired a diverse collection of artifacts that represent the continuing cultural heritage of the Akwesasne Mohawks. The largest collection in the museum is black ash splint basketry and other decorative and functional basketry. The museum’s Cultural Center has been a community effort by concerned Native American people to help themselves preserve their culture.
Long before Europeans came to North America, the St. Lawrence River Valley was a meeting place for the various indigenous nations such as the Huron, Algonquin, and Iroquois. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of numerous campsites and villages that date back thousands of years. The Akwesasne Museum has on display arrowheads, stone implements, and fragments of pottery found in the area that date back to these early days of Mohawk history, as well as other items from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. In total, over 3,000 artifacts are on display.