About Us
The Aquinnah Cultural Center aims to preserve, educate, and document the Aquinnah Wampanoag self-defined history, culture and contributions past, present and future.
This includes facilitating daily experiences and activities that will reinforce and enhance cultural awareness within the tribal community; and providing the general public with an opportunity to witness and learn about the Aquinnah Wampanoag experience through exhibits and educational programs. To provide an archival facility to preserve and share with the public at large the Wampanoag history of Gay Head/ Aquinnah; and to Serve the cultural needs of Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal members.
To ensure continual assessment of these needs and maintenance of a culturally appropriate consensus process, the Board shall conduct annual planning processes to include needs assessments, surveys, or community meetings.
Our Story
The Aquinnah Cultural Center started as an idea; the preservation and passing of cultural and traditional knowledge. We found our home at the Edwin D. Vanderhoop Homestead in 2005, after a couple years of working out a cooperative deal between the Town of Aquinnah and The Martha's Vineyard Land Bank; which saved the historic property after being listed on the retail market in 2003.
After the agreement to home the Cultural Center in the Homestead there was plenty of intense restoration to do on the home prior to opening the museum to the public; however, in 2006 the museum finally opened to the public. In the years since, the ACC has grown in its services and partnerships; creating multiple annual fundraisers, markets, and workshops to work towards our mission.