The Museum of the Cherokee Indian tells the story of the Cherokee people and sets the scene for the Cherokee Heritage Trails. Here the Cherokee community presents its perspective on its own history and culture. Located in Cherokee, North Carolina, about 30 miles from House at Whispering Water, the museum's impressive exhibit takes the visitor from 11,000 years ago to the present.

Cherokee people were involved in creating the exhibit: elders as well as scholars consulted on the script; life size figures were created from full-body casts of local people; and many of the voices in the audio portions of the exhibit come from tribal members. This new award-winning exhibit combines artifacts with interactive technology, special effects, and colorful graphics. At the Cherokee Voices Festival in June,

Cherokee people demonstrate crafts, tell stories, perform music, and do traditional dance. Elders who do not usually travel long distances to festivals often participate in this event. Throughout the summer and fall, Cherokee artists and crafts people exhibit and demonstrate inside the museum. For more on Cherokee heritage, see Unto These Hills drama and tour the nearby Oconaluftee Indian Village. The

Museum of the Cherokee Indian is open daily, 9 am - 5 pm year-round except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Extended summer hours, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, are 9 am - 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Sunday schedule always 9 am- 5 pm. Admission: $9 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-14, 5 & under are free.