The Museum of Indian Culture in Allentown, Pennsylvania, focuses on the preservation of Indian cultures, including the Lenape/Delaware and other American Indian tribes. It?s also a comprehensive resource center for visitors to gain knowledge about the early history of America's First Peoples. You?ll be amazed to see an wide array of artifacts and stone tools used during prehistoric times. Authentic beadwork, pottery, basketry, and other handmade products from various American Indian tribes (Iroquois, Passamaquoddy, Lenape, Sioux, Cheyenne, etc.) are displayed in the museum's galleries.

Before the descendants of Lenape spread around the world, the First Peoples of the Northeastern Woodland tribes lived throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Maryland. Their subsistence came from agriculture, hunting, and gathering. However, the arrival of early European explorers forced the Lenape out of their lands. Today, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs recognizes two surviving Lenape tribes: the Delaware Tribe of Indians in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and the Delaware Nation in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Descendant groups also live in some parts of Canada. The museum's library contains historical accounts of the injustices perpetrated against the Lenape and their eventual migration out of their northeastern homeland.

The museum also provides on-site and off-site programs to educate schools and the community about Native American heritage and culture. The programs offered include the Northeastern Woodland Program for 6th graders to adults, the Woodland Life Skills Program for 3rd graders to 5th graders, the Lifeways and Lore Program for young audiences, and the Native American Cultural Heritage Programs. These programs must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. More information is available on the museum's website.

In addition, the museum sponsors a number of festivals and special events throughout the year. In June, the museum hosts a multicultural festival called Artifest featuring performers, vendors, demonstrators, and food from various ethnic groups. The museum's largest event, the Roasting Ears of Corn Native American festival, takes place in August. This event features authentic Native American tribal performers, vendors selling handmade Native American crafts, Native American food, and life-ways demonstrations. Native American storytellers tell spooky stories for Fright Night around Halloween. An Open House tops off the year in November. All the museum's events are family-friendly.

Aside from these programs and events, the Museum of Indian Culture provides guided tours for casual visitors, families, and large groups on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Visitors can peruse the different rooms inside the museum, including the Northeastern Woodland Room and the Inter-Tribal Room. Donation options and memberships are available for anybody who is interested in the past, present, and future of the Lenape and other Native American tribes.