A new landmark has just joined the Bentonville skyline — but this one is, historically speaking, as old as the Great Plains and as steeped in tradition as the Indigenous people who still call those places home.
The Museum of Native American History has just erected a new tipi! And we’ve love to invite you to visit and share it with your readers and viewers.
Tipis were used year-round by the tribes of the Great Plains — the Ojibwe, Lakota, Dakota, Cree and others— and are universally envisioned as the dwellings of Indigenous people in North America. So even though they were not the homes that early visitors to what is now Arkansas would have seen — the Quapaw (Okaxpa) and the Osage (Wahzhazhe) lived in long houses, and the Caddo (Kadohadacho) lived in beehive shaped houses called “grass houses” — a tipi was chosen to join the bison sculpture outside MONAH.
Five years after the previous tipi went up, it was time to consider a replacement.
“When searching for a new tipi design, we took inspiration from historical tipis across the Plains,” says Jazlyn Sanderson, MONAH’s director. “Because our museum tells the story of the history of North and South America, not just one tribe or region, we were careful not to take a singular design as our own. We wanted it to reflect the stories of multiple tribes and regions!
“We also were inspired by regional landscapes and fauna,” Sanderson goes on. “Deer are important to the Ozarks as well as mountains, so you can find both on the canvas. Birds too are central figures in many Indigenous stories and histories, often as messengers. And so, we added that element to the design.
“We hope by combining these elements it can visually share who we are and what stories we hold inside the building.”
MONAH will be open regular hours on the days surrounding Christmas and New Year’s, closing at 2 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and closed all day Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is always free.
About MONAH
MONAH’s Mission: Opened by Bentonville native David Bogle in 2006, the Museum of Native American History provides a place where visitors can experience the diverse Indigenous cultures of the Americas through pre-historic and historic art. MONAH’s vision is to advance understanding of human experience within these cultures and provide a space of explorative imagination for all who visit. The galleries are set chronologically; the art and tools Indigenous peoples leave behind continue to speak their stories and history. To better understand their lifestyle, hardships, successes, and inspiration, MONAH invites visitors to open their minds to discover these diverse cultures’ creations. After the self-guided tour ends and the museum store begins, visitors continue to see how Native Americans express their stories through the modern-day arts.
Open Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm with Free Admission
202 SW O ST. Bentonville, AR 72712
