Mathers Museum of World Cultures

MONSTERS! are extraordinary or unnatural beings that challenge the predictable fabric of everyday life. This exhibition looks at monsters from around the world, discovering who they are and what purposes they serve in various cultures, as different images of... Learn more

"Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation" Created by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, this exhibit explores the Indian American experience and the community's vital political, professional, and... Learn more

A member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Katrina Mitten was born and raised in Indiana. Although most of the Miami were removed from their ancestral lands, Mitten-s family remained in Huntington County. She learned traditional beadwork by studying family heirlooms and museum artifacts.... Learn more

"Each one teach one" is the motto of the Sisters of the Cloth, an African-American quilting guild that meets monthly in Fort Wayne. Member Jacquei Seals explains, "We love to quilt, to share, to cook. I love the sisterhood of us." While some women joined the group as expert quilters, and... Learn more

For Tony Artis, drum making combines his interests in music, aesthetics, and Nigerian Yoruba culture. His craft allows him to have a greater connection to the music he plays, because he believes that the drum takes on the maker's voice. Come hear and learn from the master drum maker's... Learn more

Master carvers Matt Bruce and Casey Winningham will demonstrate and discuss different techniques in limestone carving--a distinctive arts tradition from south-central Indiana. From nearby Mitchell, Indiana, Bruce works with an air-chisel to create imaginative carvings, and often helps... Learn more

Five generations of the Haycraft family have made hoop nets and fished the rivers of southern Indiana. As a child, Larry Haycraft learned the basics of the craft from his father, and is now teaching his son and daughter to make nets. He believes it is important for them to learn not only... Learn more

Father Jerome Sanderson prayerfully makes icons, which he installs in Orthodox churches throughout the United States. In the 1980s Father Jerome apprenticed to two iconographers, who taught him the techniques used to reproduce ancient portraits of prophets and saints. He'll share his work... Learn more

Bring your parents by during this special IU Family Weekend event! We'll have bagels and coffee, and special behind-the-scenes tours for the whole family. The event will be free and open to the public. Learn more

Pravina Shukla, curator of Costume: Beauty, Meaning, and Identity in Dress , notes the periods of the Revolution and the Civil War remain foci of pride and contention, subjects of popular writing, and inspiration for costumed performance. According to Shukla, in 18th... Learn more

Who are you? Who do you want to be? Don a costume of your choice and come to the Mathers Museum for a screening of Mister Lonely. This quirky film focuses on exploring characters who use costumes in their daily lives--a Michael Jackson look-a-like, and Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and... Learn more

How does art influence the healing process? How does art promote health and well-being? From educational materials to popular songs on public health topics, art has an important role to play in our health. Bob Einterz, IU School of Medicine Associate Dean for Global Health; Donald E. Brown,... Learn more

Directed by documentarian Billy Luther (Navajo-Hopi-Laguna), Miss Navajo explores Navajo culture through the story of Crystal Frazier and the Miss Navajo pageant, which centers around tradition and the perpetuation of Navajo culture and values--a reframing of the more typical pageant focus... Learn more

Learn to weave an 8-pointed star and join a worldwide movement. Instructors will teach the Samoan star-weaving technique and share this Australian-led initiative inspired by a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night... Learn more

We're celebrating the fall semester release of books written or edited by Mathers Museum faculty, research associates, and colleagues-- Folk Art and Aging: Life Story Objects and Their Makers , by Jon Kay; Indiana Folk Arts: 200 Years of Tradition and... Learn more