Before Your Visit
As part of your visit to MKIM, your students will see baskets from the early 1800s up to the present. There are utilitarian baskets as well as fancy baskets. The ash baskets are made of wood, and are as strong as wooden boxes.
We also have baskets from other regions of North America. They are of different materials, and some are made using techniques other than over-under weaving. These differences arise from variations in the available materials.
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum gives your students an opportunity to see tools, clothing, plants, and crafts that have long been part of the Native American way of life. Over 1,000 artifacts are beautifully displayed in seven galleries, each representing a region of North America.
Our newest exhibit is part of “Along the Basket Trail,” a collaborative project with 2 other area museums, the Hopkinton Historical Society and the Warner Historical Society, as well as the Abenaki cultural preservation organization Wijikodoak.
This exhibit displays examples of baskets made from ash splints and sweetgrass. There is a photo display depicting the process of creating the ash splint baskets from tree to completed basket. A portion of a black ash trunk and a hank of sweetgrass are available for your students to feel and smell.
