Skip to main content
Skip to main content
Updated 11/8/2024

AQUINNAH CULTURAL CENTER, INC.

  • M

    MA

Institution/Business Type: Arts Center

The Aquinnah Cultural Center is the home of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Museum located near the Gay Head lighthouse. The center, referred to as the Edwin DeVries Vanderhoop Homestead, was built in the late 1890's and restored and reopened in 2006. The Aquinnah Cultural Center's mission is to preserve, educated, and document the Aquinnah Wampanoag self-defined art, history, culture and contributions of the past, present and future. 

The purpose of the Aquinnah Cultural Center Inc. as a non-profit organization is to develop and maintain a cultural center in Aquinnah that can support diverse tribal activities. We envision the cultural center to be a sustainable tribal community center with welcoming flexible space that can support the ongoing exploration of Wampanoag culture. This vision is about creating a special place to express our beliefs and lifeways as living Wampanoag people, as well as providing a place where visitors can learn about our cultural heritage.

Find Me

Berta Welch
Job Title: President
Phone: 508-645-7900
Address:
35 Aquinnah Circle
Aquinnah, MA 02535

Social Media:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Arts Center

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

1998

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Arts Center

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

1998

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Humanities - Cultural Heritage

Additional Disciplines:

  • Visual/Crafts - Jewelry

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Art Sales
  • Artist Market
  • Arts for Social Change / Creative Activism
  • Arts Instruction / Lessons
  • Community Arts
  • Exhibitions
  • Film Showings

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • General Public
  • Native American Tribes
  • Nonprofits
  • Artists
  • Businesses
  • Elders
  • Families

Languages Available:

  • Native American / Indigenous

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • County
  • State

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Plymouth 400

Date: 01/2016-01/2016

Plymouth 400 are sponsors of historical and cultural exhibitions that highlight the interaction and contributions of the Wampanoag and English people. Plymouth 400 sponsored the "Our Story" exhibit, hosted at the Aquinnah Wampanoag Cultural Center, which will grow by one panel every year through 2020. This marks the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower.https://plymouth400inc.org/ 

Jannette Vanderhoop

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Date: 01/2010-01/2010

Jannette Vanderhoop is from the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe (Gay Head) on Martha’s Vineyard. She is a serious, accomplished and prolific artist who makes authentic Indian jewelry. Her modus operandi is to “educate people to respect nature through art” and so, she produces her work as a form of en vironmental expression. By utilizing random parts of the natural world, including found and reconstituted materials, there is no lack of inspiration or originality.https://www.etsy.com/people/IslandNaturals

Linda Coombs

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Date: 01/2008-01/2008

Linda Coombs is an author and historian from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). She and her peers, including Narragansett elder Paulla Dove Jennings, wrote children's books for the museum, illustrating Native American culture from a Native American perspective. Coombs later worked for nearly three decades with the Wampanoag Indigenous Program at Plimoth Plantation, including 15 years as the program's associate director. Linda was also Program Director for the Aquinnah Cultural Center for many years.http://manyhoops.com/wampanoag-on-thanksgiving.htmlhttps://cola.unh.edu/center-new-england-culture/linda-coombs