Seminole Nation Museum

This museum documents and interprets the history and culture of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the people and events that make its capital, Wewoka, one of the most historically significant and culturally diverse communities in Oklahoma. Through the use of select artifacts, historic photographs and interpretive exhibits, the events and stories that shaped the home of the Seminoles for more than a century are chronicled in a captivating, educational and enlightening experience at the Seminole Nation Museum.

The Seminole Nation has a complex and fascinating history. After the United States achieved independence, settlers in Florida began to put increasing pressure on the Seminole to migrate west, even though they had been living peacefully in Florida since long before Europeans had ever come to their land. The conflict escalated as Southern slave-owners discovered that the Seminole tribes had become safe havens for escaped slaves. Some Seminole had previously been enslaved by European settlers and so had a profound understanding of the plight of the African slaves. Soon, the confrontation turned into what is now known as the Seminole Wars, which resulted in the near total removal of the Seminole and Black Seminole populations from Florida to the Indian Territory, later known as Oklahoma.  

In 1856, the Federal government established a Seminole Nation in Oklahoma. This independent nation consisted of the land between the South and North Canadian River, west of what is now Tecumseh. However, after the Civil War and the Curtis Act of 1898, which severely, and often fraudulently, limited Seminole land holdings, a new Seminole Nation was established with Wewoka as its capital. The Seminole quickly ratified a constitution and continued to observe their long-held cultural traditions while planning for their future. The story of the Seminole Nation is an integral part of Oklahoma culture, and one that can experienced in detail today at the Seminole Nation Museum.