Brooklyn Museum

Mini Art Lesson: Baleen Whale Mask

Wooden sculpture of a whale with black, white, red, and blue markings on a white background

This Mini Art Lesson honors Native American history and culture through the work of the Kwakwaka’wakw—Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest Coast of the United States. This mask tells the story of why whales live deep in the ocean and involves a strong, persistent whale character. In this lesson, kids ages 2–6 will use their favorite tale to create a story “chain,” while kids ages 7 and up will craft their own paper puppets.