New to our Contemporary Gallery for the 2024 Season is Baskets: Carriers of Life and Spirit. Curated by members of our Native community alongside dedicated museum staff, this captivating exhibit showcases the timeless beauty of ash splint and sweetgrass baskets woven for a variety of purposes, along with tools and techniques for decorating the baskets. Special apprenticeship programs, generously supported by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, assist with keeping this art alive for future generations.

Immerse yourself in a multi-sensory experience as you journey through the exhibit, where the air is alive with the sweet fragrance of sweetgrass. A special hands-on display provides opportunities to touch and examine baskets, reeds, sweetgrass and an ash log. Listen to an Abenaki ash tree creation story via sound recording, and gain insight into Native experiences and culture through personal video interviews with Native artists.

Special programs will be offered throughout the season, including an evening with Abenaki Basket Maker, Sherry Gould on June 10th . Enjoy conversation about Abenaki culture while watching Sherry demonstrate basket-making techniques. Later in the season, attend a panel of speakers from the Native and environmental community to learn about the devastating impact of the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle on ash trees and the ash basket-making community.