Bentonville Museum Adds Rare Métis Ensemble

The Museum of Native American History has acquired a historic Métis moosehide outfit and a Lakota painting.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Native American

Gouache-painted illustration of a 19th-century moosehide jacket with floral beadwork, highlighting the historical craftsmanship of the Métis people. — The Museum of Native American History in Bentonville has acquired a rare 1850s Métis moosehide ensemble, preserving vital Indigenous cultural history. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Museum of Native American History in Bentonville has officially expanded its permanent collection with a rare Métis moosehide ensemble. The garment, which includes a jacket, trousers, and moccasins, dates back to approximately 1850.

Why it matters

Acquiring these artifacts preserves vital cultural history for the Métis people, who were officially recognized as a distinct Indigenous group in Canada in 1982. The addition provides visitors a tangible connection to Indigenous craftsmanship from the mid-19th century.

The Métis ensemble is crafted from moose hide, red wool, porcupine quills, and glass beads, featuring intricate sinew-sewn construction. The current Métis population stands at approximately 450,000 individuals.

The players

Museum of Native American History

This Bentonville institution is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and study of objects related to the history of Native American cultures.

Adolf Johann Hoeffler

He was the original collector who purchased the historic Métis ensemble during his time in St. Paul.

The details

The set was originally purchased by Adolf Johann Hoeffler in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1849 and remained in the Hoeffler family’s collection in Germany until 2014. The ensemble exemplifies traditional floral quillwork and beadwork patterns typical of the era.

1849: Adolf Johann Hoeffler purchased the ensemble in St. Paul, Minnesota.
1850: Estimated date of the ensemble creation.
1982: Métis people received designation as a distinct Canadian Indigenous group.
2014: The ensemble left the possession of the Hoeffler family in Germany.

Culture Shift

This acquisition follows a pattern set by the 1970s surge in popular recognition of Métis arts by bringing historical artifacts into a formal permanent collection. It represents a broader societal trend of elevating Indigenous material culture to mainstream museum status.

Residents and visitors to Bentonville can now view this rare historical collection firsthand at the museum. The addition offers a unique opportunity for the community to engage with 19th-century Indigenous craft and history.

The takeaway

The addition of this ensemble showcases the endurance of Métis craftsmanship and the importance of preserving Indigenous artifacts. Visitors are encouraged to observe the fine details of the beadwork to better understand the techniques used by artisans in the mid-1800s.