Learn about the past and present of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois at this museum near Onondaga Lake that features a reconstructed 17th-century French mission.
The Skä•noñh - Great Law of Peace Center is dedicated to using artifacts, pictures, text, video and oral history of the Haudenosaunee’s traditions to celebrate the legacy of Native Americans in New York State and beyond.
“Skä•noñh” is a welcome greeting meaning peace and wellness. It is also a state of being that is important to the history of the Haudenosaunee, better known as the Iroquois Confederacy, which governed New York and adjacent states before the arrival of Europeans. Told from the perspective of the Haudenosaunee, this museum is filled with excellent and in-depth information particularly fascinating for those interested in Native American history. Indulge your existing passion or create a new interest.
Start in the first room, which tells the story of the creation of the world, featuring a turtle sculpture created by renowned Haudenosaunee stone worker Tom Huff. Continue into the next room, covering the creation of the Great Law of Peace, when the five original tribes of Haudenosaunee, the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga and Seneca nations, laid down their arms and chose to band together. Learn about the modern Confederacy in the last room, which highlights their attempts to maintain independence and their contributions to American culture today.
Go to the back of the museum to see St. Marie de Gannentaha, also known as St. Marie among the Iroquois, a full-size replica of a French mission established here in the 1600s. Imagine the clash of cultures between the colonizing Frenchmen, who were eventually forced to retreat, and the local tribes.
Finish your visit viewing the temporary exhibits, which highlight contemporary Native American artists working in Syracuse and beyond.
The Skä•noñh - Great Law of Peace Center is located at the southern end of Onondaga Lake Park on the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake, a 10-minute drive from downtown Syracuse. Free parking is available at the center.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from mid-morning to late afternoon. St. Marie Among the Iroquois is open to visitors in the summer, from May to October. Pay the entrance fee, which is free for children age nine and under.
