Caddo Heritage Museum
Point of Contact: Kim Penrod
Telephone: (405) 656.2344, Extension 209
Email: kimpenrod@yahoo.com
kpenrod@caddonation.k12.ok.us
Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday or by appointment
Staff: Kim Penrod, Director
The Caddo Heritage Museum is committed to preserving the cultural traditions of the Caddo people. The museum specializes in the material culture of both pre-Contact and present-day Caddo people. Our collection of Caddo pottery is one of the best in the country. We also maintain an archive of important documents, research materials, photographs, and sound and video recordings. The gallery and archives are open to the public.
The Caddo Heritage Museum is funded through the tribal government and by contributions to our non-profit organization, the Taysha Fund. Any donations to the Taysha Fund are tax deductible under Section 7871 of the IRS Code and support the museums programs and exhibits. For more information, please contact the Museum.
The Caddo Heritage Museum is advised by a Board of Trustees. Currently, the Board includes:
| Chairman, Rebecca Halfmoon Briggs | Vice Chairman, Dr. George Sabo, III |
| Tribal Council Liaison, Mary Lou Davis | Ex-Officio Member, Timothy K. Perttula |
| Charter Member, Mary Cecile Carter | Charter Member, Donna Spaulding |
| Member 2004-Present, Stacey Halfmoon | Member 2006-Present, Michael Sheyahshe |
Chairman, Rebecca Halfmoon Briggs, The Caddo Nation and The Caddo Heritage Museum staff would like to introduce and welcome our newest Board of Trustee members.
Chrystal Anderson-Antoniades, Gayle Satepauhoodle, and Yonavea Hawkins were asked to serve after the first of the year with approval from our tribal council in early February. Each accepted and bring great gifts, talents and dedication of service to the Caddo Nation and specifically the commitment in preserving the rich history and cultural traditions of the Caddo peoples.
The Board of Trustees currently meets the first Saturday of each month at 10 AM, with meetings open to the public.
Present museum holdings include over 5000 prehistoric items, 300 historic and/or archival items (including digital historic photos) and at least twenty contemporary artworks by Caddo painters, sculptors, ceramicists and silversmiths, and various traditional garments. The Caddo reference library/resource center holds approximately 400 Caddo/Southeast region/culture reference books. This collection includes maps, manuscripts, photographs, and audio/video recordings of songs, dances, stories, and Caddo language.
A 2005/2006 Board of Trustees and staff review revealed that collections growth has superseded proper inventory records and databases. The foundation and support for the museum remains strong, understanding the immediate need for the entire collection to be comprehensively and properly documented, inventoried, labeled and entered into a database. The staff of the Caddo Heritage Museum is currently working under an IMLS Museum grant to complete these objectives. Having readily available and accurate inventory is vital for the stability, success and future growth of the museum. The database will provide up-to-date information on every object under museum management, including its location, description, digital photograph, and other key information. The completion (and future maintenance) of this inventory is required to successfully manage the museum exhibits, accurately determine budget needs, accurately determine storage needs, demonstrate funding/space requirements both internally and externally, secure potential museum item donations, accurately plan for exhibit items, properly track loan item, detect missing items, and defray any potential for theft.
“Honoring Our Own”
 |
 |
| The current Veteran's exhibit currently on display is a scaled down version of the original and will remain as part of our permanent collections. We have memorabilia, photographs and uniforms from the families of men and women of the Caddo Nation who have and continue to serve in all branches of the military. The museum maintains a notebook in the exhibit area where visitors can add names of family members so that we can keep our files up to date. |
 |
 |
To compliment this exhibit a Memorial sits on a small rise at the south side of the Tribal complex. The names of our Veteran Caddo men and women are engraved on two large marble monuments. We encourage you to visit the memorial and “Honor Our Own.”
The Caddo Heritage Museum maintains permanent exhibits of traditional silverwork, pottery, artwork and archival photographs. The work of Caddo silversmiths Merle Keyes and Son Supernaw is currently displayed. The women’s hair combs, worn as part of their dance regalia, incorporate the intricate and delicate traditional Caddo designs.
The engraved bottles, bowls and jars currently on display represent the Caddoan traditions from ca. 1000 AD to the late 1600's contact period. Many of these pieces are from the Southwest Arkansas sites. The curvilinear lines, distinctive shapes, and deep colors all aid the archeologists in recognizing these Caddo vessels.
The work of Jeri Redcorn, our present-day Caddo potter, represents the continuation of the distinctive pottery created in the past.
 |
 |
Also part of the permanent collection are large duplications of archival photographs. These images continue to present the visitor with a visual glimpse of the previous generations of Caddo people.
The Caddo Heritage Museum is a proud member of the Oklahoma Museums Association and the Mountain Plains Museums Association.
We also support ourselves through income received from our gift shop. The gift shop includes a selection of books about the Caddo people and recordings of Caddo music, as well as souvenirs such as t-shirts and tote bags. Any profit made on sales from the gift shop directly benefits the Museum's Taysha Fund. We have recently set up a mail order service for the items we sell and a ready-to-print order form can be found here.
