The Seminole and Miccosukee doll collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History is among the largest in the world. Comprised of over 300 dolls, the collection covers nearly 70 years of history from the 1930s to early 2000s.

Figure 1: Dolls from the Ethnographic collection. Photo Credit: Kristen Grace.
Figure 1: Dolls from the Ethnographic collection. Photo Credit: Kristen Grace.

These dolls are generally made from palmetto fibers and they are dressed in the distinctive style of the Seminole and Miccosukee. All of the dolls that you see on this website are from the Florida Museum’s collection.

Seminole and Miccosukee Doll Makers

The Seminole and Miccosukee peoples of Florida are the creators of the palmetto doll. The Seminole and Miccosukee share a common history and culture. For more information:

Why are these dolls important?

Seminole dolls have been around since the early 1900s and are important to Seminole and Miccosukee history because of their economic and cultural value throughout the years. The Seminole and Miccosukee dolls show the historical representation of both tribes and how their style has transformed over the years.

Figure 2: Seminole male and female dolls (2012-50-12/2012-50-13). Donated by Anne Reynolds.
Figure 3: Post card of two Seminole girls stringing beads (2013-6-61). Donated by Anne Reynolds.