On our way to a recent fencing tournament in Miami, we decided to take a small detour and learn about Seminole history and culture at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. Located on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the Everglades, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum’s mission is to “respect, celebrate, and preserve Seminole culture and history.” Below we include an overview of what to do at the museum and why we think you should check it out on your next trip to South Florida!
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The museum is open daily from 9am-5pm. Admission prices are $10 for adults and $7.50 for seniors, military, and students. A family pass costs $30 and is good for two adults and up to four children. Children under four and Seminole Tribe members receive free admission.
When you first enter, the Orientation Theater is to the left, where you can view a 20-minute educational film about Seminole history (with showings every thirty minutes). Beyond the theater are the museum’s exhibits. You can view beautiful dioramas showcasing different aspects of Seminole history and life in the 1800’s, such as hunting, cooking, and family life. Other exhibits celebrate Seminole art as well as clothing and crafts such as beadwork and basketry.
Behind the museum is a mile-long boardwalk through a natural cypress dome in the Everglades. This was our favorite part. There were educational plaques describing the different plants and animals you can spot along the trail, as well as their traditional use by the Seminole. Along the boardwalk we learned about the eight clans of the Seminole at the Clan Pavilion and viewed recreations of ceremonial grounds, a Seminole village, and a hunting camp. Hadassah’s favorite part was trying to capture the beauty of the cypress dome and wildlife on her camera!
A few tips for enjoying the boardwalk: apply insect repellant! Deer flies were everywhere when we were there and we all suffered a few bites. Also, there are a variety of different animals in the area, including bobcats, raccoons, Florida panthers, and opossums, and your best chance of spotting wildlife is to remain quiet while traversing the boardwalk–loud noises will scare the animals away.
Before you leave, be sure to check out the lovely gift shop located by the entrance. It is filled with many unique items, including beautiful jewelry made by both the Seminole and other Native American tribes throughout the United States. I really wanted to support local Seminole artisans, and since the Seminole are known for their beadwork, I chose this beaded bracelet. A woman working there shared with me that these colors are the Seminole medicine colors. Red, black, yellow, and white represent the four cardinal directions and the four seasons.
If you are interested in learning more about Seminole history in Florida, you can check out our unit study here. For adults, we recommend the book Osceola and the Great Seminole War: A Struggle for Justice and Freedom by Thom Hatch. This book is an engaging read that provides a thorough overview of Seminole history and follows Osceola’s brave exploits to save his tribe from forced relocation to the west. For kids, a few books we recommend include, The Seminoles by Virginia Driving Haw Sheve, Legends of the Seminoles by Betty M. Jumper, and She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper by J.G. Annino.
Overall, we really enjoyed our visit to Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and learned a lot about Seminole history and culture. If you are ever in the South Florida area, we definitely recommend checking it out!
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Sarah
I am the main writer and website designer for Florida Unveiled. I love the parts of Florida visitors don’t often see: the tea-colored water that flows in cypress-laden rivers; the chorus of frogs after a hard rain; the rustle of palmetto as an unseen creature scampers by. Some of my favorite places in Florida are the Everglades, the Keys, Smyrna Dunes Park, Bok Tower Gardens, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and St. Augustine’s Historic District.
