We arrived on a day when there were hundreds of young students. The staff was patient and shared their knowledge well. Really added a nice dimension to the day. The research staff is always helpful.
We arrived 4-minutes before the 11:30am tour and we so glad we made it! Dan was our guide and the tour lasted 1-hour. The 1700's Cherokee Village was very educational and interesting. The museum with the "Trail of Tears" was very informative.
This is definitely a must see place! Very informative for any age. The village and settlement recreations are impressive and the staff is very informative. I wouldn't mind coming back for a visit again. The Trail of Tears exhibit is interactive and has information I had never been taught in school.
This is an experience that is well worth going out of your way for, especially if you drive on beautiful Highway 10 to the north or Highway 62 to the east in October. The museum is small but evocative and the guided tour of 18th century society and technology was outstanding. The guides not only could explain the houses, pottery, weapons and baskets, but put them in their historical context.
Went to the Cherokee Heritage Center with my mother and stepfather on a Saturday morning. For someone with very little exposure to the Native American experience, the museum and grounds were informative and well done.We began with an outdoor walking tour through a village. Our guide was very knowledgable and pleasant. He was never in a hurry and brought personal experiences into his stories. One thing that stuck with me from this part of the tour were the summer homes and winter homes built side-by-side, each with their own architecture.The outdoor tour lasted about an hour, then we did a self-guided tour through the indoor museum. These exhibits focus primarily on the relocation of many tribes to Oklahoma, what is now the Indian Nation. This is tough stuff, and the museum doesn't shy away from this tragic history. The statues representing families on the Trail of Tears was especially moving.All in all the Cherokee Heritage Center is well worth the time spent to tour this well-designed and executed museum.
The interpreters were knowledgeable and willing to share. One really gets the sense of typical life of the times. Nothing fancy or flashy but an honest, thoughtful experience.
Do the guided tour. It is excellent! The guide we had had actually learned to competently perform the old skills. He knew how things were done because he did them regularly! Loved it!
LOVED this place. The village they have set up from the 1700's is so realistic. Our guide was Zach, and he was spectacular. I learned so much, and he was good at explaining how so many things we THOUGHT we knew, were false. The Cherokee people were very civilized, respectful people, not brutes. I loved this tour. The museum was neat too, I just wish I had planned for a bit MORE time the read all the information in the museum, namely the Trail Of Tears exhibit. Very moving.
The outdoor villages set up here are well worth the trip. Allow at least 1 1/2 hours for the visit. If you do the hands on things inside the museum, you will need even more time.
Went with my 11 yr old. Best time in Tahlequah hands down! So informative, and the experience of the trail of tears exhibit just shakes you to the core. Take the time to stop by, you won't be disappointed !