[1][5][6] The museum's operations have provided tourism, jobs, and commercial enterprise in an area where unemployment was high; while simultaneously highlighting Cherokee people and preserving their cultural traditions as a fundamental part of the museums operation.

[7] They work to counteract inaccurate imagery of Cherokee culture often found in mainstream media.

[8] The Eastern Band of Cherokee also established other local attractions, including the Unto These Hills outdoor theater series in 1950; and the Oconaluftee Indian Village in 1952.

[10] Museum exhibitions have focused on Cherokee history and pre-history with topics such as "stone tools and weapons", "mineral displays", "Indian corn", "Cherokee pipes", "bone ornaments", "seashell ornaments", "game stones", "Oconaluftee Village crafts", "model of ancient burial", "mortar and pestle", "bannerstones, birdstones, and boatstones", "Cherokee people today", "Emissaries of Peace: The 1762 Cherokee/British Delegations" (2004), and the "origins of the American Indian".

[5] Folklorist Barbara R. Duncan had been employed by the museum to research Cherokee legends, myths, and family stories.