Museum of the Cherokee People Admission Ticket
Overview
24 hours
Mobile ticket
General admission includes:
Main Exhibit: We are a museum in transition! Take a step behind the scenes as we consider how to update our 27-year-old main exhibit to authentically share Cherokee history, culture, and stories from a Cherokee perspective.
sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians illuminates the complexities of tribal sovereignty and the EBCI’s continuing legacy of resilience.
ᏗᏓᏂᏏᏍᎩ ᎦᏓᏆᏟ Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop: Enjoy an exhibition of work by students in the Museum’s annual community learning pottery workshop.
Charles George Beloved Veterans Hall: Meet heroes of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Established in 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee People shares the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people through its exhibitions, collections, and programs.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Museum of the Cherokee People
Learn about the Cherokee people at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Your general admission ticket includes access to the museum and the following exhibits. Story of the Cherokees: 13,000 Years Voted Top Ten best Native American Experiences by USA TODAY, you'll experience 13,000 years of Cherokee history, from the time when mastodons roamed the southern Appalachians to present day. This story is told through computer generated animation and special effects, life-sized figures, artwork and priceless artifacts. Emissaries of Peace: 1762 Cherokee & British Delegations Travel with Henry Timberlake to the Cherokee world in 1762 and see London through the eyes of Cherokee leaders who met with King George III. Timberlake’s Memoirs come to life through artifacts, archaeological treasures, period artwork, music, video and life-sized figures. Two contrasting cultures emerge from war and make peace. Special pop-up books and graphic panels help tell the story for children. The museum also hosts many traveling exhibits such as We the People. This exhibit has been featured not only at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian but also the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee. It shows the perspectives of Cherokee culture and colonial British culture through the narrative of Henry Timberlake¹s Memoirs, illustrated with artifacts, artwork, reproductions, video, and life size figures. All exhibits, restrooms, Museum Store and Education Wing are ADA accessible. Service animals are permitted. Handicapped parking available in front of entrance.
What‘s Included
Admission ticket to the Museum of the Cherokee People
Transportation to/from attractions
Meeting points
Museum of the Cherokee People
589 Tsali Blvd Cherokee United States
End points
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Options
General Admission
Reviews
114 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A museum at war with itself
briansD5935CA,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00To pay $15 admission to the Museum of the Cherokee People is to observe a war: Not a war of "cowboys and Indians" or "colonialists vs indigenous peoples", but a museum in an identity crisis. It is a struggle over the function and meaning of a museum itself. The opening video is a 3-minute message from the new curator explaining the transitional state of the museum. The earlier historians had "not been Cherokee", while the new management "represents authentic Cherokee voices". (It is unclear who elected the new curators and what qualifies them to represent all Cherokee in a museum context over the objective historians.) At many exhibits, light-blue signs have been printed and posted that apologize for or argue against the older material. The contrast between the blue signs and the older material is striking, and your challenge as the visitor is to comprehend why the museum message was deemed so offensive as to merit these apologies. Display cases are left empty because artifacts had supposedly been "improperly sourced". Statements about Cherokee first appearing 17,000 years ago are qualified by spiritual statements about how "we have always been in the land". The use of terms like "Western Band" are scolded for not using the formal name of the two Oklahoma nations. Portrayals of "primitive" Cherokee life are censored for being insensitive, even as the "sovereignty" exhibit and at the end passes no judgment against the "Kitsch Culture" that funds much of the local economy. I would conclude that the activists who currently curate the museum attended some sophomore courses in postmodern Marxist deconstruction, and are busy with their "deconstruct first, ask questions later" agenda in renovating the message. The idea of an objective view of the history of the Cherokee appears to be rejected, and one wonders what the purpose of a museum is, and why I paid $15 to view it. I came away from the experience with two impressions: 1) The voices of "assimilated" Cherokee who may have escaped the Casino-craft-kitsch culture of Cherokee, NC, or who may attend Christian churches in the area are not worth hearing, only those local voices who are loyal to the tribal government and its surrounding separatist culture. 2) To be an "authentic" Cherokee in 2025 is to live a contradictory existence of forever complaining about the oppression of "western perspectives", while profiting off the trinkets, Great Spirit wisdom, and casino games sold to tourists, packaged in those "tomahawk and feather" categories.
Excellent, but!
jackdS4300MI,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Clean, very friendly, excellent food and entertainment. Only knock was in room tv was crap, in and out signals, probably by design.
Great educational experience
K7630BBgaryb,,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The four of us had a great experience at the Museum of the Cherokee People. It was educational and we could move at our own pace. The staff was friendly and open to questions.
Very Interesting
njylf,,Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The staff was excellent. The museum was very informative. We especially appreciated that the museum was in transition. We applaud your efforts to more accurately represent your history as well as your present achievements. We highly recommend visiting. Thank you.
Decent Cherokee History Info
Coco1231,,Oct 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Interesting museum that seemed to be in constant updating/renovations. Bit confusing with very difficult to read small print, poorly located placards. Most of the exhibits appeared to be from current artists so not historic. We expected more and hopefully they will continue to enhance. There was a docent at the end with a small group, but we did not know if we could have joined or if it was offered. Good history lessons of the plight and struggles of the Cherokee people.
Trip Back in Time
Sidney S,,Sep 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The Museum is excellent. It is very informative, if you take the tour, the guide is amazing. Going on your own is faster but your questions won't be answered. I would definitely go again!
What should have been educational turned into DEI event.
habny,,Aug 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00What should have been educational quickly turned into a white-hating, almost racist portrayal.Disheartening, do better. Every nation and people on earth have experienced diversity, lose the DEI and realize that.
Great place to visit, Loved it!
josephcB8089UB,,Jul 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Love this place, enjoyed the culture and artifacts they have. The workers were friendly and helpful! Hope to return one day soon! I would recommend this museum to anyone to see, Thank you!
Thoughtful Exhibits
Sarah S,,Jul 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a lovely, thoughtful museum. I felt that they addressed the history and struggle between the Cherokee nation and European settlers. The Sovereignty exhibit was one of my favorite parts. Is a stop I would highly recommend!
Cherokee Indians Tour
poindextersep,,Apr 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We enjoyed doing the tour at the museum and learned a lot about Cherokee Indians origination in the US and their impact on our culture.
From US$15.00
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Operated by Museum of the Cherokee People