Visit Cherokee Nation

06/01/2026

Stories on the Square returns to downtown Tahlequah this Wednesday, June 3! Cherokee National History Museum interpreter and former Miss Cherokee Meekah Roy will share stories at the Cherokee National Peace Pavilion.

Stories will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a fun cultural activity for all ages. This event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

06/01/2026

Citizens of the Cherokee Nation are invited to submit artwork to the Cherokee Homecoming Art Show, celebrating more than three decades of excellence and authentic Cherokee art!

This year’s show will once again be held in the Gallery at Cherokee Springs Plaza in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and will award contemporary and traditional Cherokee art forms. Artists may apply to be juried into this show until July 3.

Start here: https://bit.ly/HomecomingArtShow2026

05/31/2026

Learn more about our Traditional Games happening June 5 at select museums across the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., each location will feature live demonstrations of traditional Cherokee games that have been played for generations. The event will feature stickball at the Cherokee National History Museum, Cherokee marbles at the Saline Courthouse Museum and chunkey at Sequoyah's Cabin Museum.

The games are free and open to the public and offer a fun, engaging way for all ages to connect with Cherokee traditions and culture. We hope you join us this summer!

05/31/2026

In Cherokee culture, snakes carry deep meaning, from stories of powerful beings like Uktena to the respect shown for real snakes in nature. The Cherokee Word of the Week is “Snake.” 🐍

05/29/2026

ICYMI: Cherokee National Treasure Jane Osti took home the Best of Show Award at this year’s Trail of Tears Art Show.

🎥 Watch Jane’s full Artist Spotlight video 👇

Cherokee National Treasure Jane Osti took home the Best of Show Awa...

05/29/2026

As restoration work continues at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah, Oklahoma, the Will Rogers & Wiley Post Fly-In is postponed until 2027.

Learn more about the preservation efforts underway in the video below and by following our attraction's page.

05/28/2026

“Stories on the Square” returns every Wednesday morning in June! Our outdoor storytelling series features Cherokee stories performed live at the Cherokee National Peace Pavilion in downtown Tahlequah, Oklahoma, followed by fun cultural activities for all ages. Each event begins at 10 a.m.!

Here is the 2026 lineup of storytellers:

— June 3: Cherokee National History Museum interpreter and former Miss Cherokee Meekah Roy
— June 10: Cherokee National Treasure Robert Lewis
— June 17: Cherokee actress & storyteller Candice Byrd-Boney
— June 24: Traditional Cherokee storyteller Larry Shade

Learn more at: https://visitcherokeenation.com/event/stories-on-the-square/

05/28/2026

Cherokee Nation citizen Jesse Chisholm (pictured) was born around 1805 in present-day Tennessee. Chisolm was a trader, interpreter, and mediator who shaped early Oklahoma and Texas history. Settling in Indian Territory in the 1820s, he worked near Fort Gibson, mastering multiple languages and negotiating between Cherokees, Plains tribes, the Republic of Texas, and the U.S. government.

Chisholm established trading posts across the territory and drove cattle along a trail he helped create. After the Civil War, Texas cattlemen used the trail to move herds north to Kansas. Today, the famed Chisholm Trail honors his legacy. He died in 1868, near present-day Blaine County, Oklahoma.

Image courtesy of the Gateway to Oklahoma History and the Oklahoma Historical Society.

05/27/2026

Get ready for some summer fun! Traditional Games are returning to our museum grounds this June and July. Come out and enjoy live demonstrations of games that have been played by Cherokees for generations.

On June 5 and July 3, join us at Cherokee National History Museum, Saline Courthouse Museum or Sequoyah's Cabin Museum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Whether you're visiting for the first time or are a returning visitor, this is a fun event for all ages to experience Cherokee culture.

05/27/2026

Vol. V is about Indigenuity: where Indigenous heritage meets creative expression! We hope you’ll join our all-star team of Indigenous panel leaders on Saturday, November 14. Past panel topics include:

– Indigenous Fashion & Cosplay
– Professional Wrestling in Indian Country
– Creating Board Games
– Native American Language Dubs of Popular TV Series
– Publishing Graphic Novels
– Short Film Screenings
– Native-centered Libraries

Panel applications are open ‘til July 6. Start here: https://bit.ly/SkasdiCon2026Panels