Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Stock up on picnic supplies with a side of history.
Horton Bay General Store
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Salamanca Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center
AO Edited

Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center

This museum pays tribute to the largest group in the Iroquois Confederacy.

Salamanca, New York

Added By
Edward Denny
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Mary Jemison Cabin.   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Seneca Museum
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Seneca Museum
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center   Edward Denny / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Nestled between the Alleghany River and Alleghany State Park in Western New York’s Southern Tier, is a sprawling museum dedicated to the Seneca-Iroquois Nation. Named after a prominent Seneca singer and teacher, the 33,000 square foot Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center opened in 2018. 

The Seneca Nation, or more appropriately Onödowáʼga (“Great Hill People”), is one of six nations comprising the Iroquois Confederacy, which includes the Oneida, Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Tuscarora roups The Senecas have a rich culture and complex history, and today there are approximately 8,000 citizens of the Seneca Nation, although another 10,000–25,000 people trace direct lineage.

The museum’s exhibits are comprehensive in their coverage of art and culture. Everything from the nation’s distinctive basket style, to antler carvings and contemporary fine art, are all on display inside. Uniquely, one extensive exhibit features the art of Native American tattooing entitled “Indian Ink.”

Historical displays include the cabin of Mary Jemison, a British frontierswoman who was assimilated into the Seneca people in the mid-1700s. Another exhibit includes the recreation of a traditional Seneca longhouse, the first one built since 1820 according to the museum. The indigenous name of the Iroquois, Hodinöhsö:ni’, means “people of the longhouse.” 

A more recent historical exhibit features the Kinzua Dam controversy of 1961. Citing the need for flood control for Pittsburgh, President John F. Kennedy ordered more than 600 Senecas moved off land granted to them in a treaty signed by George Washington. The Seneca Nation lost approximately one-third of its territory as a result, and the Senecas were forced to abandon traditional ways of life in favor of modernization.

Protection of Native American sovereignty is examined further in a display about lacrosse, a sport invented by the Iroquois and the oldest organized sport in North America. When the Iroquois Nationals team seemed poised to win the world championship being held in England in 2010, the team’s participation was thwarted when the United Kingdom refused to recognize passports issued by the Hodinöhsö:ni’ Nation. Somewhat ironically, the United States recognized the passports, since Iroquois sovereignty had long been established by a treaty between the U.S. and Canada. Determined to represent the Hodinöhsö:ni’ and not the U.S., the team ultimately was prohibited from flying to the UK to compete.

Despite a fraught history with the U.S. and its allies, the Seneca and Iroquois as a whole were among the first to defend the U.S. in the many wars of the 20th-century. An entire room inside the museum is dedicated to the memory of those who served in the armed forces, particularly those who participated in the Code Talker program. Although the Navajo are best known as Code Talkers, dozens of different tribes served including many Senecas. 

The memorial hall is a fitting final stop inside this cultural center and national museum that celebrates the resiliency of the Iroquois.

Related Tags

Museums History & Culture Native Americans

Know Before You Go

The center is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors should also check the website for special events including concerts, plays, lectures, and Living Artist demonstrations.

Community Contributors

Added By

Edward Denny

Edited By

haydenhaynes

  • haydenhaynes

Published

December 29, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://enchantedmountains.com/place/seneca-iroquois-national-museum-and-on%C3%B6hsagw%C3%ABd%C3%A9-cultural-center
  • https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/museum/seneca-iroquois-national-museum/
Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center
82 W Hetzel St
Salamanca, New York, 14779
United States
42.157079, -78.751312
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

American Museum of Cutlery

Cattaraugus, New York

miles away

Zippo/Case Museum

Bradford, Pennsylvania

miles away

Griffis Sculpture Park

East Otto, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York State

New York State

United States

Places 807
Stories 45

Nearby Places

American Museum of Cutlery

Cattaraugus, New York

miles away

Zippo/Case Museum

Bradford, Pennsylvania

miles away

Griffis Sculpture Park

East Otto, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New York State

New York State

United States

Places 807
Stories 45

Related Stories and Lists

Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center

Podcast

By The Podcast Team

14 Places to Celebrate Native American Heritage Day

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • The Oasis Trail at the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza.

    Palm Springs, California

    Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza

    An ancient mineral hot spring sits at the middle of this combination cultural center and spa.

  • The Job Carr Cabin is a replica of the original 1865 cabin that founded Tacoma.

    Tacoma, Washington

    Job Carr Cabin Museum

    This Old Town cabin tells the story of Tacoma's settlement through a replica of its first non-Native building.

  • Portland’s Center for Native American Art

    Portland, Oregon

    Native American Art Center

    One of the most comprehensive collections of historic Native American culture in the country reframes artifacts as artwork.

  • Pilgrim Hall Museum

    Plymouth, Massachusetts

    Pilgrim Hall Museum

    This museum shines a light on the true Pilgrim experience in North America.

  • Savannah, Georgia

    WEBB Military Museum

    At this privately owned collection, conflicts are humanized through soldiers’ personal belongings.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Odawara, Japan

    Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum

    Dedicated to the history and culture of Japanese fishcake, this museum invites you to take part in its kamaboko-making workshop.

  • One of the galleries in the modern section of the Manchester Jewish Museum.

    Manchester, England

    Manchester Jewish Museum

    A Victorian synagogue-turned-museum chronicles centuries of Jewish life.

  • Portumna, Ireland

    Irish Workhouse Centre

    A well-preserved, 19th-century Irish workhouse recounts a grim time in the country’s history.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.