Beginning in the 1870s, the U.S. government attempted to educate and assimilate American Indians into “civilized” society by placing children — of all ages, from thousands of homes and hundreds of diverse tribes — in distant, residential boarding schools.

Many were forcibly taken from their families and communities, and stripped of all signs of “Indianness,” even forbidden to speak their own languages amongst themselves.

“Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories” explores off-reservation boarding schools in a kaleidoscope of voices. The exhibit opened Nov. 12 and will be on view through Jan. 5, 2025 at Chandler Museum.

Up until the 1930s, students were trained for domestic work and trade in a highly regimented environment. Many children went years without familial contact, and these events had a lasting, generational impact.

This exhibition was adapted from the permanent exhibition, “Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories,” organized by The Heard Museum in Phoenix.

Both the original exhibit and this touring version were supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Adults should note the “Away from Home” exhibit contains stories of resilience and revitalization, agency and honor. It also contains descriptions of human indignities and hardships, and terms that reflect historically racist perspectives and language from past eras.

This exhibit is advised for more mature audience members, eighth-graders and older.

The Chandler Museum is located 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. and closed on Mondays. Admission is free.

Find more information on the exhibitions and programming online at by clicking here or call 480-782-2717.

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