Bois Forte Heritage Museum

About

Located on the grounds of Fortune Bay Resort & Casino near Tower, MN on the Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota. The museum is dedicated to telling the Bois Forte Ojibwe story-as our name-Atisokanigamig or LEGEND HOUSE tells. We do have a guided tour for 10 persons or more, if you would call ahead of time to set up. We encourage school groups to come and visit and learn about our people of the North Woods.

Exhibits: The museum tour starts with the Mural of Migration that traces our lineage back to the East Coast and tells the story of a 500 year journey with stops along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. It moves to the Land without Borders to showcase the different areas in the region where Bois Forte people had trails, villages, and seasonal camps. Next, you’ll find the Waaginogan, a life-size birch bark dwelling. From there you visit the Fur Post made to represent the first fur post on Lake Vermilion. The Lake Vermilion Indian Boarding School exhibit is next where you’ll find a replica classroom with copies of documents that tell the school’s history. The Lifeways exhibit is next which showcases our traditional harvest activities from maple syruping, wild ricing, games, and has Ojibwe floral patterned beadwork on display. Our Veterans Wall comes next to honor our tribal members who served in the military. Lastly, you’ll end up in the circle area which displays pow wow dancing regalia. There is a T.V. where you can watch a movie about Bois Forte to enhance your knowledge with history told by our Elders.

Gift Shop: Most of the items in the gift shop such as the birch bark, beaded items, and artwork, are made by the talented artists of the Bois Forte Band and bought by the museum to sell in the gift shop. Our most popular gift shop item is our wild rice, which is harvested every fall when people bring in their finished rice to sell. Money made by our members is used for their children’s school clothing or to pay bills. We also have bead and bead supplies available for sale for artists in the area and make birch bark gift baskets, which can be filled with our wild rice, jellies, and various memorabilia from the gift shop. The Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum has Carl Gawboy and Joe Geshick prints for sale, with photos of the available work down further on the page. Contact us today to learn more about our gift baskets and other items from the gift shop. The Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum’s mission is “To preserve and perpetuate Ojibwe culture and to advance understanding by presenting with dignity and respect, the accomplishments and evolving history of the Bois Forte people of northern Minnesota.”

The Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum does not sell anything considered sacred including sage, sweet grass, cedar, drums, pipes, or anything else considered to be sacred. The focus is on teaching the culture of the Bois Forte Band, so our visitors will have a greater appreciation and understanding of our people.