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426 posts

long eel basket

Come and See Our Eel Basket

One of the baskets that you will find in our exhibit on Outer Banks natives is this exquisite eel basket. Eel was a staple food for tribes along waterways and these baskets, usually made from willow bark, were the most effective way at catching these slippery creatures. At first glance, […]

Come and Learn About Native Dance

We are so excited to welcome long-time volunteers Thunder & E Nah Dah of the Eastern Band Cherokee to share with all of you! In just a week, come and learn about the significance of the drum and dancing in native cultures. Have you wondered why all the Powwow’s have […]

bombus bimaculatus on vitex

National Pollinator Week (Gallery Images)

It’s National Pollinator Week and we’re all about encouraging our native pollinator friends! Our support of our native pollinators didn’t start with the project we mentioned in our previous update on National Public Garden Week. It started with planting Green-headed Cone Flower (Rudbeckia laciniata) in the tiny garden next to […]

american beautyberry

Insect Repellant Awareness Day & Beautyberry

Today, June 3rd, is National Insect Repellant Awareness Day! Though the discussion is usually for visitors to our sunny island in summer circles around sunscreen, insect repellant is equally important! Living in the United States, we often have a skewed view of the significance on the impact of illness transmitted […]

wampum and quahog

All About Wampum

May 11th is National Day of the Bead, so let’s talk about the most infamous bead from the East Coast, Wampum! What was it? The word “Wampum” actually comes from the Nanhigganeuck (Narragansett) word wampumeag and literally means ‘white shell beads’. Though often thought to be the name of the […]

aster with Synchlora larva

National Public Gardens Week

It’s National Public Gardens Week and we’re all about growing native species! You may recall that last year, we partnered with Backyard Butterflies and Wooden Sea Tree Care to put in a pollinator garden. Backyard Butterflies donated 150 native plants and Wooden Sea Tree Care donated mulch. We put in […]

eastern milk pea

National Wildflower Week

It’s National Wildflower Week and we’re all about growing native species! As you may know, we’ve got a lovely Nature Trail and have started a pollinator garden project along the front of the building. Wildflowers are an easy way to add color and attract some really interesting wildlife to your […]

earth day table

Earth Day 2026 [Photo Gallery]

Earth Day at the RWS Community Building was an incredible experience with lots of really fun interactions with friendly people. As always, the kids were the best as they were excited to learn and full of questions. Visitors got to try on glasses that let them see like a spider, […]

Reminder: Upcoming Voices of History Speaker on May 6th

Will you be here on the island May 6th? Then you definitely want to check out our special guest Gray Michael Parsons to hear him speak on the frequently overlooked Chief Wingina. Who Was Chief Wingina? Where did he live? Why is he important? Why don’t we hear about him […]

peyote drop fan

Peyote Feather Fan & Universal Day of Culture

Today is the Universal Day of Culture, and a perfect day to discuss a part of culture that we often hear discussed amongst visitors. One of the items in the museum is a fan that has been labeled a Peyote Drop Fan. In western culture, psychoactive plants are often abused […]

Come Learn About the Tlingit!

Visitors to the museum have long been aware that this little museum on the Outer Banks is intertribal and showcases artifacts from all over the country. We now have the chance to kick off our 40th anniversary by inviting someone who has worked with the Tlingit to share their experiences […]

Learning Life Skills by Making Dolls

Life was very different in times before Walmart and Temu. Fruit and vegetables had to be planted, harvested, and traded for. Meat had to be hunted and processed by hand. And clothing had to be made. Though all tribes had different cultural rules, the women were often expected to make […]