April Free Day
2025-04-18 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for a day of free admission at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum on Friday, April 18th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Our monthly Museum Free Days will now include Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Markets! Each month, visit and shop with different local Indigenous artists.
Booth spots are limited, please contact Josee at jstarr@mitchellmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Film Screening: Singing Back the Buffalo
2025-04-25 18:30 - 20:30 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
In the spirit of Earth Day, join us for a screening of Singing Back the Buffalo, an award-winning documentary by Cree filmmaker Dr. Tasha Hubbard. We offer two ways to see the film. Watch the movie virtually at your leisure anytime from April 18-May 2, 2025, or join us in person at our watch party followed by a virtual discussion with Singing Back the Buffalo filmmaker Dr. Tasha Hubbard on April 25th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum.

In a time of immense environmental degradation and global uncertainty, the buffalo can lead us to a better tomorrow. After a dark recent history, the buffalo herds of North America are awaiting their return, aided by dedicated Indigenous activists, leaders and communities, including award-winning Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard (nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up). Together with Blackfoot Elder Leroy Little Bear, Hubbard weaves an intimate story of humanity’s connections to buffalo and eloquently reveals how their return to the Great Plains can indeed usher in a new era of sustainability and balance.
On her journey, Hubbard explores the challenges faced by buffalo allies and shares the positive steps already taken towards the ultimate – but uncertain – goal of buffalo rematriation. Richly visualised and deeply uplifting, SINGING BACK THE BUFFALO is an epic reimagining of North America through the lens of buffalo consciousness and a potent dream of what is within our grasp.

Audience Responses:“So magnificent!”“My most anticipated movie of the year”“Gorgeous!”

Tickets

Virtual – $20 – All links will be emailed before April 24th
You can view the film at your leisure anytime between April 18-May 2nd, 2025. Be sure to join us on Friday, April 25rd at 8 pm for a discussion with the filmmaker Dr. Tasha Hubbard.

Ticket

In-Person – $25/single ticket or $45/2 tickets
Join us for an in-person watch party of the film Singing Back the Buffalo. A limited number of tickets will be available for this screening on April 25 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a discussion at 8:00 pm via zoom with filmmaker Dr. Tasha Hubbard. The watch party will feature light snacks and refreshments at the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum. Limited Seating Available

Ticket - Single

Ticket - Double

Director’s Statement
Feel the vibrations from the millions of hooves, see the immense clouds of dust in the air on your skin, witness the Buffalo move through their territory. This is being dreamed about by Indigenous peoples across North America. Our relative, the buffalo, deserves an epic. Singing Back the Buffalo combines my academic work with my search to tell compelling Indigenous stories in a visual and connective way. It follows key themes: Buffalo Kinship, Genocide, Confinement, Women and Buffalo, and finally, Return, or Rematriating, the Buffalo to the lands. These form the framework for what I wished to be a layered and interwoven film. I wanted to tell both the history of Buffalo and Indigenous people from our perspective, as well as the future vision we have for our collective return to living in balance with the land.

Dr. Tasha HubbardDirector & Producer

Cree filmmaker and an associate professor in the Faculty of Native Studies and the Department of English and Film at the University of Alberta. Tasha is from Peepeekisis First Nation in Treaty Four Territory and has ties to Thunderchild First Nation in Treaty Six Territory. She is also the mother of a seventeenyear-old son. She researches and champions Indigenous efforts to restore the buffalo, has been a supporter of the Buffalo Treaty since 2015, and is a founding board member of the International Buffalo Relations Institute. Her films Two Worlds Colliding, Birth of a Family and nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up have screened around the world and won numerous awards, including the Canadian Screen Award for Best Feature Documentary in 2020. Her work has led to recognition from the Directors Guild of Canada, who awarded her with the Discovery Award in 2019. Her latest feature documentary is called Singing Back the Buffalo.

Community Day: Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum & Block Museum
2025-04-26 10:00 - 17:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Save the date for a festive day exploring the Block Museum of Art and the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum in celebration of exhibitions Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak / Chicagoland and Living Stories: Contemporary Woodland Native American Art. Shuttles will run between each museum from 12-5pm, so that attendees can easily attend events at both museums. Enjoy open galleries, storytelling and scavenger hunt activities, and more.
Co-presented with the Block Museum of Art.
For full schedule and to RSVP, visit https://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/events/2025/community-day-gichigamiin-indigenous-nations-museum-block-museum.html.
Contact The Block Museum of Art: (847) 491-4000 or email us at block-museum@northwestern.edu
Contact Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum: (847) 475-0911 or email us at info@gichigamiin.org

Full schedule of activities:
Free shuttles between the Block and the Gichigamiin depart from each museum every 30 minutes at 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30, 4:00, 4:30, and 5:00 pm. There is also free parking on Northwestern’s campus and at the Gichigamiin.

At the Gichigamiin:
The Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum is located at 3001 Central Street in north Evanston. It will be open from 10 am-5 pm.
10:30 am-11:30 am: Storybook reading by author Maria DesJarlait (Arikara)
Maria “White cedar woman” Des Jarlait is an indigenous woman from the Arikara tribe of Fort Berthold reservation in North Dakota and Ojibwe from Red Lake, Minnesota. She was raised on the reservation in North Dakota and went on to college in Chicago, IL where she earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and English as a second language. She teaches preschool in Illinois, where she has seen the need for books that represent Native American children as people of today. She writes her books based on her experiences as a child with her grandmother and her two daughters’ experiences with their adventurous grandmother Peggy as well. She hopes to inspire more Native American children to dream big.
1:00 pm-2:00 pm: Artist talk by muralist Sergio Ceron (Otomi-Pame)
Sergio Ceron is from Elgin,IL. He comes from the Otomi-Pame peoples of central Mexico. He is a powwow singer, beader, painter, tattoo artist,feather worker and bone carver. “Growing up in what is traditionally Great Lakes indigenous land, I feel a responsibility to give thanks to those spirits through my art and incorporate them into my life. I seek to preserve the old craft culture of my ancestors and apply them and the teachings they hold in today’s world. Tlazohcamati (thank you).”

At the Block:
The Block Museum of Art is located at 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208 and will be open from 12-5pm.
12:00 pm-1:00 pm: Storybook reading with Terra Foundation Woven Being Fellows, Teagan Harris (Cherokee) and Marisa Cruz Branco (Isleta Pueblo/Portuguese)

3:00-4:00 pm: Artist talk by Nora Moore Lloyd (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe)
Nora Moore Lloyd (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, born 1947) was trained as a photographer and videographer. She works in multiple mediums to create artworks that document the stories of Indigenous elders and to connect with cultural practices related to harvesting birch bark and wild rice. Nora has been an active member of Chicago’s Native American community for decades.

At the Aloha Center:
The Aloha Center is located in the annex building next door to the Gichigamiin, at 3009 Central Street.
1:00 pm-1:30 pm: Haki Kino hula class
1:45 pm-2:15 pm: Powere Uke lesson
2:30 pm-3:00 pm: Keiki ‘Ohe Kapala children’s workshop

May Free Day
2025-05-07 10:00 - 17:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for a day of free admission at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum on Wednesday, May 7th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Our monthly Museum Free Days will now include Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Markets! Each month, visit and shop with different local Indigenous artists.
Booth spots are limited, please contact Josee at jstarr@mitchellmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Artist Talk: Living Stories – New Works by Le'Ana Asher
2025-05-14 17:00 - 19:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join artist Le’Ana Asher for an insightful artist talk on Wednesday, May 14th at the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum in Evanston. Le’Ana is featured in our newest exhibition Living Stories: Contemporary Woodland Native American Art. Join us at 5pm for a guided tour through the exhibition, followed by a one-hour discussion starting at 6pm where Le’Ana will share the journey behind her latest series of works, which examines the intersections of history, identity, and resistance. Drawing inspiration from Indigenous culture and the ongoing fight for sovereignty, her new series challenges the illusions of American history and offers a fresh perspective on both past and present narratives.
As Le’Ana walks you through her paintings, you’ll gain insight into the symbolism of her work, including the intersection of regalia, resilience, and cultural storytelling. This is a chance to connect with the artist, ask questions, and explore the deeper layers of art that challenge and awaken.
This will be a hybrid discussion, please RSVP below. This is a FREE event. For more information about this program, please contact info@gichigamiin.org | (847) 475-0911 | www.gichigamiin-museum.org

Cameraless Filmmaking Workshop with COUSIN Collective
2025-05-30 11:00 - 16:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
On Friday, May 30 from 11 AM – 4 PM, Block Cinema will host a free Cameraless Filmmaking Workshop at the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum in Evanston, led by filmmakers Lindsay McIntyre and Adam Piron of COUSIN Collective. We will be offering this workshop to 8 participants; we will have a waiting list for 4 additional prospective attendees.

More info

Register

Contact The Block Museum of Art: (847) 491-4000 or email us at block-museum@northwestern.edu
Contact Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum: (847) 475-0911 or email us at info@gichigamiin.org

June Free Day
2025-06-24 10:00 - 17:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for a day of free admission at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum on Tuesday, June 24th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Our monthly Museum Free Days will now include Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Markets! Each month, visit and shop with different local Indigenous artists.
Booth spots are limited, please contact Josee at jstarr@mitchellmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Film Screening: Kanenon:we - Original Seeds Featuring presentation by Dr. Rebecca Webster
2025-06-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208
Join us at the Block Museum’s Block Cinema for a screening of Katsitsionni Fox’s film Kanenon:we – Original Seeds and a presentation by one of the film’s featured seedkeepers, Dr. Rebecca Webster.
Kanenon:we – Original Seeds (pronounced Ga nah: seed, ooh we: original) is a short documentary featuring three Indigenous women who are stepping back into their sacred responsibility as seed keepers, honoring the work of our ancestors by regenerating and rematriating sacred seeds for future generations, and offering a glimpse into the challenges facing the world related to food security.
Schedule of Events:
6:00pm: Film starts
6:30pm-7:30pm Talk with Becky Webster, Special guest from the film & Haudenosaunee seedkeeper

Dr. Rebecca Webster, an Oneida Nation citizen, is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Her research focuses on tribal governance and food sovereignty, viewing Indigenous farming as an act of resistance and self-determination. She farms on her homestead, sharing practices via her YouTube channel, “Ukwakhwa (Our Foods),” and through the non-profit Ukwakhwa, Inc. She’s also a founding member of two Oneida farming cooperatives focused on heirloom crops.
“We recognized how fragile our food system is. This is about empowering our people to be able to reclaim the processing and growing of our Indigenous foods.” — Rebecca Webster, Kanenon:we – Original Seeds

Please RSVP below. This is a FREE event. For more information about this program, please contact camille.billie@gichigamiin.org | (847) 475-0911 | www.gichigamiin-museum.org/events

Docent Tour: A Regional Tour of American Indian Cultures
2025-07-01 15:00 - 16:00, 2025-07-09 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-07-18 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-24 10:30 - 11:30, 2025-07-29 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-08-07 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-08-13 12:30 - 13:30, 2025-08-19 12:30 - 13:30 and 1 more date | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Please join us for public drop-in tours this summer!
These docent-led tours will last for approximately an hour, and will explore how the Native cultures of five principal regions of the United States and Canada- the Woodlands, Great Plains, Southwest, Pacific Coast, and Arctic and Subarctic- have historically addressed five universal human needs: Food, clothing, housing, transportation, and art.
The tours are included with general admission. We look forward to seeing you!

Kids Story Time
2025-07-02 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Sharice’s Big Voice
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Kids Story Time
2025-07-09 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Mission to Space
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Family Day 2025
2025-07-12 10:00 - 15:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for an afternoon of family crafts, storytelling, shop at our Artists Alley, enjoy live music, and so much more!

Throughout the event you can visit info booths to learn more about other incredible work being done by our partnering organizations. Visit our Artists Alley to shop at a handful of Native artists booths, enjoy live music, and visit our ongoing exhibits. This event will have something for everyone. Limited parking is available along Central Street and the parking lot behind the museum.

This event is partially supported by a grant from the Evanston Arts Council an agency supported by the City of Evanston and the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Schedule of Events

Museum Activities
All day crafts and coloring pages for the kids and families on the 2nd floor.

12pm: Music by Mark Jourdan!

Mark Jourdan (Oneida/Ho-Chunk) is a singer/songwriter based out of Chicago, Illinois. He is a Native American of the Ho-Chunk and Oneida nations. Growing up in Chicago, he spent his summers and weekends traveling the Midwest and Canada and going to Pow Wows with his family. Music has always played a big part of his life and driving across the country with his family made the radio and cassette players as much a part of the family as his siblings. His father took him to see B.B. King when he was 16, where he had his first experience of what it meant to “own a room.” He then took a break from guitar and music to try graphic art with the hopes of becoming an art teacher. Ultimately, he made his way home to music and he couldn’t be happier to have found a place where he can express feeling in a way that his graphic arts were, without him realizing it, leading him to. Today, he chases dreams. He’s catching a few too. “To infinity and beyond…” facebook ; youtube.com

1:00 – 1:30pm Three Sisters Yoga: Move, Nourish, Grow

Join us for a special yoga session inspired by the Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash – symbolizing growth, connection, and support. This all-levels practice blends mindful movement, breathwork, and reflection to cultivate resilience and community. Come as you are and leave feeling rooted, restored, and connected.
Jenn Michals is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a descendant of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. She is a certified yoga (RYT 200) and meditation instructor who creates healing spaces grounded in Indigenous teachings, breath, and gentle movement. Her classes center wellness, connection, and cultural reclamation through mindful practice.

2:00 – 3:00pm Planter Decorating

Join our Garden Manager, Camille, for a planter decorating workshop and take home a native plant alongside info about gardening with native plants!
This workshop is limited to 25 participants and is on a first come first serve basis.

3009 Building
Visit the Aloha Center of Chicago and learn about their work and the programs they offer! They will be offering kids craft activities and live music throughout the day. Learn more here https://gichigamiin-museum.org/alohacenterchicago/

Artist Alley
Located outside the museum in our parking lot, visit info booths and Native artist booths!

Le’Ana Asher Studios LLC
Prints, cards, miniature originals
www.leanaAsher.com

Moonflower Beadwork
Beadwork, earrings, keychains
ig: @moonflowerbeadwork

Zani Beauty Studio
Native American owned beauty studio in South Loop Chicago offering holistic skin care, healing and empowerment.
https://zani.glossgenius.com/

Hinano by Design
Art prints, Paintings
ig: @hinanobydesign

Face Painting by V
Face painting for everyone

Amawa Cultural Center
Handmade decorative llamas, blankets, and jewelry.
ig: @amawaculturalcenter

Aloha Eats

Hawaiian Restaurant

Local #Hawaiian plate lunch in Chicago since 2004. 🤙🏽
https://www.alohaeats.com/

Kohl Children’s Museum

Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago offers interactive exhibits for children ages birth to 8, designed to nurture a love of learning.

https://www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/

For more information about this program, please contact: info@gichigamiin-museum.org | (847) 475-0911.

July Free Day
2025-07-15 10:00 - 17:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for a day of free admission at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum on Tuesday, July 15th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Our monthly Museum Free Days will now include Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Markets! Each month, visit and shop with different local Indigenous artists.
Booth spots are limited, please contact Josee at jstarr@mitchellmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Kids Story Time
2025-07-16 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Gift of the Great Buffalo
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Kids Story Time
2025-07-23 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Jingle Dancer
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Kids Story Time
2025-07-30 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: We Are Water Protectors
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

The Sweetest Season 2025
2025-08-01 - 2025-08-02 | Goodman Theatre, 170 North Dearborn, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Full Schedule and Tickets

In Partnership with the Goodman Theatre
Now in its fourth year, The Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity returns to the Goodman.
On August 1 and 2, join us for two days of performances and workshops celebrating Two Spirit artists and community members. Friday features a highly anticipated drag show in the Owen Theatre with multiple drag artists uplifting the artistry, joy and resilience of Indigenous performers across Chicagoland and beyond. The next day, the Alice Center hosts a vibrant, community-centered line-up of workshops, panels, poetry, live music, comedy, artisan vendors and more. Come learn, laugh, connect and celebrate—all are welcome!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Become A Sponsor

Click Here to Sponsor

Vendor Registration

This 2-day gathering honors Indigenous artists and brings together Native artists, creators, and business owners in Goodman Theatre lobby and gift shop. Participating Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs will have the chance to share their arts and crafts, contributions, accomplishments, and professional services with the public, allowing guests to support Indigenous entrepreneurs by purchasing items or fostering future business opportunities.
Participation for vendors is free. Indigenous entrepreneurs and artists interested in attending and showcasing their work can RSVP by completing the registration form.

Kids Story Time
2025-08-06 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Bowwow Powwow
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

August Free Day
2025-08-11 10:00 - 17:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Join us for a day of free admission at Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum on Monday, August 11th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Our monthly Museum Free Days will now include Indigenous Artists Pop-Up Markets! Each month, visit and shop with different local Indigenous artists.
Booth spots are limited, please contact Josee at jstarr@mitchellmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

Kids Story Time
2025-08-13 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Fry Bread
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Kids Story Time
2025-08-20 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: 47,000 Beads
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!

Kids Story Time
2025-08-27 10:30 - 11:00 | Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, 3001 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
Come join us for story time!
Book of the Day: Grandfather Bowhead, Tell Me A Story
We will start each session with board books for toddlers, followed by a little movement and music, then a story book for kids in pre-K through second grade. All of our books are written by Native authors. We will wrap up by coming down into the galleries to talk about an object or display that relates back to the book we read!
The program is included with general admission. We are excited to see you there!
