Visitors can expect to learn the story of Ned Christie, who served on the Cherokee National Council and whose Cherokee name was Ne-de Wa-de. Once the only penitentiary building in Indian Territory from 1875 to 1901, the building is now an interpretive site and museum, educating visitors about how the legal system operated in the region. To round out your museum tour, walk two blocks to the Cherokee National Prison Museum. A new exhibition opening October 13 features photographs shot between 18 by Cherokee Nation citizen Jennie Ross Cobb-the great-granddaughter of Principal Chief John Ross-showcasing life in Indian Territory in the decade before Oklahoma statehood.Ĭherokee National History Museum sits in Tahlequah's town square. The featured art in the gallery space rotates, but highlights of the permanent collection include an exhibit dedicated to the Trail of Tears. Most recently, it was home to the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court until 2018, after which it was restored and reopened as a museum in 2019. As the Cherokee National Capitol building, it housed the tribe’s executive, legislative, and judicial offices until 1906. Hit three of Tahlequah's museums in one day-long trip, starting with the Cherokee National History Museum, a National Historic Landmark, which was built in 1869 on the town's main square.

To cover the most ground, make Tulsa your home base and get acquainted with the tribal history by starting with a drive to Tahlequah, about an hour away.

The Cherokee Nation reservation comprises 14 counties in northeastern Oklahoma.

Cherokee nation casino tahlequah