The Florida Ethnographic Collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History is one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Florida Seminole and Miccosukee materials in the world.

The faculty and staff of the Anthropology Division’s South Florida Archaeology and Ethnography Program, established in 1983, actively maintain the collection with assistance from graduate students, undergraduate students, volunteers, and interns. The collection is supported in part by the Anne D. Reynolds and Charles L. Reynolds Jr. Ethnographic Endowment.

As of June 30, 2016, there were 978 individual catalog records in the FEC, accounting for 1154 total objects. Of these 1154 objects, 471 (41%) are media in the form of photographic prints, photographic slides, postcards, posters, glass plate negatives, audio recordings, books, newspaper articles, and an oil painting. Many of these items were collected systematically by John Goggin in the 1940s and 1950s, to be used as a research and teaching collection. Many of the other items have been donated by relatives of people who lived and worked among the Seminole and Miccosukee in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Recent substantial donations from Keith and Sara Reeves and from Anne and Charles Reynolds have further enhanced the collection. When compared to other museums nationally, the FEC ranks third in the number of individual Seminole or Miccosukee object records. Among the objects are bandolier bags, baskets, beadwork, dolls, moccasins, rattles, silverwork, tools, woodcrafts, and patchwork clothing. Some items from this collection are on exhibit in the Hall of South Florida People and Environments.

Basket pincushion, Seminole, sweetgrass, cotton thread, palmetto fiber, late 20th century, 3.9” diameter (87-46-6).

Basket tray, part of a set used for sifting, Miccosukee, split palmetto stems, made at Josie Billie’s camp, 1939, 13.8” long (92917).

Sofkee spoon, Seminole, wood, made by Charley Cypress, Big Cypress Swamp, 1952, 19.7” long (92794).

Rattle, Seminole, box turtle shell (Terrapene carolina), wood, leather, 20th century, 13.3” long (E-882).

Basket, Seminole, sweetgrass, cotton thread, palmetto fiber, early 2000s, 6.9” long (2006-20-1).

Woman’s skirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, 20th century, 37.8” top to bottom (2007-7-3).

Dolls, female, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, palm fiber, early 20th century, 8.3” high (88-6-4) and 7.3” high (88-6-6).

Sofkee spoon, Seminole, wood, early 20th century, 16.9” long (E-989).

Miniature stickball racquets (pair) and ball, Seminole, cypress wood and buckskin, collected 1950 from William McKinley Osceola’s camp, sticks 6.9” long, ball 1.2” diameter (92888, 92887).

Mortar and pestle, Seminole, wood, early 20th century, near Moore Haven, 27.6” high (E-932).

Dolls, female, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, palm fiber, early 20th century, 6.7” high (2007-7-9), 6.6” high (2007-7-10), 7.7” high (2007-7-12), and 7.4” high (2007-7-11).

Sofkee spoon, Seminole, wood, late 19th century, 23.4” long (88-6-1).

Basket, Miccosukee/Seminole, split saw palmetto stems, 1943, purchased at Musa Isle, 14.2” long (92922).

Coontie grater, Seminole, wood, perforated iron, glue, mid-20th century, west central Everglades, 44.0” long (93512).

Three baskets, Miccosukee/Seminole, split palmetto stems, upper: basket tray, 1939, 13.8” long (92917); lower left: basket sieve, 1939, 11.4” long (92907), lower right: basket tray, early 20th century, 13.7” long (92903).

Bandolier bag, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, ca. 1830s-1840s, 4.0” maximum width of band (E-603).

Woman’s skirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, mid-20th century, 41.3” top to bottom (2008-27-1).

Plate, Miccosukee, wood, made in 1949 by The Frog (Miccohatchee) at Everglades City for Deaconess Bedell, 8.9” diameter (E-883).

Basket, Seminole, split saw palmetto stems, purchased at Bert Lasher’s camp, Miami, 1943, 6.3” high (92919).

Miniature canoes: Seminole, wood, ca. 2000, 12.4” long (2007-7-17) and 11.8” long ( 2007-7-18).

Garters, fingerwoven, Seminole, wool yarn, glass beads, ca. 1830s-1840s, 8.3” long (E-596).

Man’s long shirt, cotton cloth and thread, made at Tamiami Trail, 1950, 49.2” top to bottom (92782).

Male “Doctor’s” coat, Seminole, 1830s or 1840s, 45.1” top to bottom (E-595).

Bows and arrows: bow, Miccosukee, wood, made by Charley Cypress at Big Cypress Reservation, 1952, 47.6” long (92801); spear, Seminole, bamboo, twine, ca. 1926, 57.7” long (92-46-4); bow, Seminole, wood, ca. 1890s, purchased at Mr. Charlie Tiger Tail’s Trading Post, 58.3” long (E-789); arrow, unfinished, Miccosukee, wood, ca. 1950, 31.9” long (92803); arrow, Miccosukee, wood, ca. 1952, made by Charley Cypress, Big Cypress Reservation, 30.2” long (92806); arrow, Miccosukee, wood, ca. 1952, made by Charley Cypress, Big Cypress Reservation, 34.5” long (92802).

Basket, Seminole, split saw palmetto stems, 1943, purchased at Musa Isle, 7.5” long (92921).

Silver bangles, Seminole, mid-20th century.

Basket, Seminole, sweetgrass, cotton thread, palmetto fiber, cotton cloth, glass beads, 1990s; made by Agnes Billie Cypress (basket) and Lucy Johns (lid), Immokalee, 20.0” high (97-8-1).

Bandolier bag, Seminole, wool yarn, wool, brass, glass beads, ca. 1830s-1840s, 25.0” long, 17.0” wide (E-598).

Basket sieve, part of a set used for sifting, Miccosukee, split palmetto stems, made at Josie Billie’s camp, 1939, 11.4” long (92907).

Doll, female, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, palm fiber, ca. 2000, 9.8” high (2006-20-20).

Bandolier bag, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, 19th century, 25.0” long, 12” wide (E-604).

Sash, fingerwoven, Seminole, wool yarn, glass beads, ca. 1830s-1840s, 2.3” wide at center (E-602).

Man’s shirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, ca. 1930-1950, 21.0” top to bottom (E-982).

Doll, female, necklace, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, palm fiber, ca. 2000, doll is 2.5” high (2006-20-8).

Basket, Miccosukee, split saw palmetto stems, purchased at Tamiami Trail in 1949, 8.0” long (92904).

Sash, fingerwoven, Seminole, wool yarn, glass beads, ca. 1830s-1840s, 4.0” wide at center (E-600).

Woman’s skirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, satin cloth, made by Dorothy Buster, 1970s, 35.5” top to bottom (2008-27-2).

Doll, male, Seminole, cotton cloth, palm fiber, early 20th century, 12.0” high (2007-7-14).

Man’s long shirt, cotton cloth and thread, early 20th century, 47.2” top to bottom (21387).

Dolls, female, Seminole, cotton cloth, glass beads, palm fiber: ca. 2000, 4.3” high (2006-20-19), ca. 1978, 4.5” high (E-663), and ca. 1982, 4.9” high (E-806).

Woman’s skirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, made by Ruby Clay (nee Billie), early 1960s, 35.0” top to bottom (E-699).

Woman’s skirt, Miccosukee, cotton cloth and thread, early 20th century, 30.7” top to bottom (87-1-1).

Woman’s skirt, Seminole, cotton cloth and thread, early 20th century, 36.0” top to bottom (98-7-2).

Doll, male, Seminole, cotton cloth, palm fiber, early 20th century, 12.8” high (2007-7-15).