The program for this new facility called for two major components: a museum dedicated to permanent exhibitions describing the history of the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, and a research center containing the world’s largest archive of print and electronic materials on Native American topics. The site is an historic Mashantucket Pequot settlement.

The media center is the nucleus of a Native American television and radio network. A 300-seat theatre FDA helped to plan and design presents live performances of dance, music, storytelling and poetry.