Entries from Our Guest Book

We keep our guest book beside the main entrance at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum.  Some people choose not to sign it; some people write just a short comment.  All that is fine and appreciated.  But from time to time someone will write a little more, giving us some insight into what people take away with them after a visit to our museum.

[Note: Nancy and Charles "Bud" Thompson are the founders of the museum.]

May 3, 2012
We all five people enjoyed the exhibition. – Finland

May 4, 2012
Beautiful!  Very informative. – Keene, New Hampshire

May 5, 2012
Celebrate the Earth!

May 6, 2012
Amazing.  Absolutely amazing.  Thank you for preserving a truly beautiful and spiritual part of history. – Arlington, Massachusetts


May 12, 2012
We thoroughly enjoyed the museum and Medicine Woods . . . and getting to meet the founders of the museum! – Massachusetts


May 13, 2012
Thank you for a wonderful visit, and thank you, Mr. Thompson, for spending time with us.  From Sam and Jack – New Hampshire


May 15, 2012
I can't believe I waited all these years before I finally stopped.  The entire display is wonderful, and we had a terrific guide.  We'll definitely come back! – New Hampshire


May 15, 2012
The guide was terrific – very interesting.  Thanks for preserving this for us. – Pennsylvania


May 15, 2012
Superb walk-through.  Our guide had such a great wealth of knowledge and shared it all. – Massachusetts


May 17, 2012
One of the best Indian museums I have ever been through.  I really enjoyed my visit, and [I am] so glad I made a spur of the moment decision to stop by. – Tennessee


May 22, 2012
Thank you for the warm welcome and interesting introduction to Native culture. – Connecticut


May 24, 2012
Stunning!  What a treat to meet "Bud!"  I can't wait to come back. – Windham, New Hampshire


May 24, 2012
This feels like the kind of place you can't experience in just one visit.  However, my time here was one filled with great reverence and respect.  Sometime I'll come back and revisit the experience.  Maybe I'll meet Bud again (He was great this time.) – Salem, New Hampshire


May 31, 2012

I am Inupiaq.  I like learning about my heritage, and I'd like to do more research.  – Alaska

Event This Saturday, January 14 at Peabody Essex Museum

SHAPESHIFTING: TRANSFORMATIONS IN NATIVE AMERICAN ART
Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 10am - 5pm

Location: Peabody Essex Museum

Reserve your tickets now.

9:30 amMEMBERS-ONLY GALLERY TALK –SOLD OUT

11 am and 1 pm

DOCENT-LED GALLERY TOURS.  
Meet at information desk | Tickets available on day of tour

11:45 am–12:30 pm

OPENING CEREMONY AND PERFORMANCE | Wampanoag Nation singers and dancers | atriumUsing instruments and songs passed down for generations, performers from the Wampanoag Nation share the sounds and styles of Northeastern traditional cultures.

1–2:15 pm

DISCUSSION: Changing, Knowing, Locating, Voicing: A New Look at Native American Art | 
Morse Auditorium. | For adults | Reservations by January 12
Karen Kramer Russell, curator of Native American art and culture, highlights Shapeshifting's central themes and explores the ways Native American artists respond to a wold constantly in motion. She is joined by artists Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee) and Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit/Aleut) and art historian Janet Berlo, University of Rochester, NY.
Reserve your tickets now.

1–3 pm

STUDIO SATURDAYS | Make a Drum
 – Art Studios
Design a drum that represents you or your family.

2:30–3:15 pm

PERFORMANCE | Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers
 | Atrium
Using instruments and songs passed down for generations, performers from the Wampanoag Nation share the sounds and styles of Northeastern traditional cultures.

3:30–5:00 pm

FILM | Reel Injun
Morse Auditorium | For adults and teens | Reservations by January 12
Reel Injun traces the evolution of cinema's depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today, with clips from hundreds of classic and recent Hollywood movies, and candid interviews with Native and non-Native film celebrities, activists, film critics and historians. 2009, 85 minutes, directed by Neil Diamond (Cree).
Reserve your tickets now.

Made possible by the Lowell Institute

From Chief Luther Standing Bear

On the walls of the museum we have many quotes from noted Native American leaders.  Whenever we pass the words of Chief Luther Standing Bear we are reminded of the strength of the bond between native people and the earth.

"The Lakota was a true naturist – a lover of Nature.  He loved the earth and all things of the earth, the attachment growing with age.  The old people came literally to love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power.  It was good for the skin to touch the earth, and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth.

"The tipis were built on the earth, and their altars were made of earth.  The birds that flew in the air came to rest upon the earth, and it was the final abiding place of all things that lived and grew.  The soil was soothing, strengthening, cleansing, and healing."

Chief Luther Standing Bear spoke of days that he felt were gone forever.  His words live on nevertheless.  May our society find the wisdom to reestablish the feeling of kinship with the earth and its creatures Standing Bear described.  We may not wear moccasins or live in tipis in the future.  However, with determination, education, and hard work we may learn yet to stand with bare feet on the soil, where we will be soothed, strengthened, cleansed, and healed.

Comments From Our Guest Book

We always enjoy reading our guests' comments.  The feedback they provide is always valuable to us.  Here's what people who visited within the past few weeks had to say.


Oct. 21, 2011
A wonderful exhibit for 3rd graders!  Mt. Lebanon Elementary, West Lebanon, New Hampshire


Found this museum very interesting and informative.  Enjoyed the exhibits.  Buffalo, New York


Oct. 26, 2011
I'm glad you're here.  Very interesting.  You have the most beautiful collection of baskets and other artifacts.  It is truly wonderful that you have collected and saved these for others to appreciate.  Alberta, Canada


Oct. 28, 2011
Thank you for another wonderful field trip for our 3rd graders at Riddle Brook School.  Bedford, New Hampshire


Saw your ad in the NH Tourist's Guide while looking for things to do with friends from Germany in my home state.  We had a wonderful visit.  Thank you!  NH/Indiana/Germany


Oct. 29, 2011
What an interesting and inspirational museum.  Thank you so much.  United Kingdom


Thank you very much.  Nice to get a chance to experience the life of the TRUE Americans!  Denmark


Nov. 6, 2011
We brought two friends visiting from Guadalajara, Mexico.  Very impressed.  Thank you.  Mexico


Nov. 8, 2011
North Salem Elementary had a fabulous time!  Thank you!  Salem, New Hampshire


Nov. 12, 2011
Great museum.  And thanks for your preservation efforts.  Nebraska


Great museum!  Our son is learning about this in 3rd grade and really enjoyed this.  Amesbury, MA


Great museum.  The kids loved it (ages 4, 7, and 9 1/2)  Our oldest daughter is also studying Native Americans in school as well!  Connecticut


Nov. 15, 2011
Just great!  A nice blend of art, craftsmanship, and humanitarian values.  Will bring a few nice pictures to my old country to show around.  Belgium


Nov. 16, 2011
Very educational!  Wow!  The Native Americans are/were so smart!  Thank you so much!  New Hampshire


Wonderful.  Interesting.  Good scale makes displays approachable.  Thank you.  Very surprising!  Maryland

What the Children Have to Say

Recently we gave a Connect The Circle (Museum Galleries and Medicine Woods) guided tour to a group of third graders.  Earlier this week we received an envelope of thank you notes from the children.  We were pleased and impressed by what they had to say.  Here is a sampling of the comments the children wrote.  (The names have been changed.)

"Thank you for being our guide.  I liked when you showed us the Medicine Woods.  I also liked when you showed us the eel trap.  THANKS!  -Robert

"Thank you for the tour.  My favorite part was the story about the fisherman [a story learned from Bud Thompson which illustrates the native belief that everything on earth is connected and interrelated.]  I really enjoyed it! I had lots of fun!"  - Sadie

"Thank you so much for giving [our school] a tour of the museum.  It was so much fun. . . My favorite part was the story of the fishermen!"  - Grace

"QUESTIONS  How many trees do you think are at Kearsarge Indian Museum?

How many years have you [the tour guide] been working there?

What is the oldest thing you have at the museum."  - Hunter

[This card has a hand-drawn picture of Chief Passaconaway.]  "Thank you very much for touring the museum.  Love your work.  Your guest, Haley"

Fundraising Auction and Social Oct. 22, 6:30 at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum

Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum will hold its first fundraising auction and social this Saturday, Oct. 22 at 6:30 at the museum at 18 Highlawn Road, Warner, NH.  Peter Smith Auctioneer Services will be on hand for the live portion of the auction.  Silent auction tables will be set up in the museum galleries.  Refreshments will be served and there will be live music at this gala event.  

The museum recently purchased the buildings and grounds at 18 Highlawn Road that have been home to the museum for the past 21 years. This purchase will ensure that New Hampshire’s only museum and educational center devoted to the art, culture and long history of North American Indians will have a permanent home.  The first $10,000 raised in the auction will be committed to the land purchase.

Items for auction include signed limited edition artwork by Native and non-Native artists, snowshoes, a beaded cradleboard by Andrew Bullock, ash and sweetgrass baskets, silver, turquoise and beaded jewelry, dreamcatchers, a commissioned painting by Betsy Janeway, boat rental and rides, life tickets, a day in the studio of David Lamb, gift certificates to local businesses and much, much more.  See a complete listing on our website.

Admission to the auction is $10.00 for museum members and $15.00 for non-members.  Consider becoming a member today!

Tickets can be purchased at our online gift shop, or by calling (603) 456-2384.

For more information about the auction, visit our Auction Page or call (603) 456-2384.




Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum would like to thank our generous Auction Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors: Harold and Betsy Janeway
Silver Sponsors: Virginia Theo-Steelman and David Steelman, Mascoma Savings Bank
Bronze Sponsor: Merrimack County Savings Bank


We also wish to thank our providers:
Peter Smith, Auctioneer
Schoolhouse Café, Caterers
The Cabbageheads, Musicians

Our Fundraising Auctions!

Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum's Online Fundraising Auction is now open, with many wonderful items ready for your bids!

The Live Auction will be held October 22 at 6:30 at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum.  Join us for an evening of food, drinks, fun, and the chance to bid on a wide variety of fine Native or Native-related items.

We will have both a silent auction and a traditional auction that evening.

Get your tickets for the auction now - they're going fast!  Tickets are $10.00.  Call (603) 456-2384 to get yours now!