The John Ross Museum highlights the life of John Ross, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, a towering figure in Cherokee history who guided his people through political transformation, cultural endurance, and unimaginable hardship during the Trail of Tears era for more than 38 years.  The Museum houses exhibits that explore his life through letters, photographs and artifacts that illuminate the Nation’s government, diplomacy and resilience. Exhibits and interactive displays share the history of the Trail of Tears, the Civil War, the Cherokee Golden Age, and the Cherokee Nation's passion for educating its people. The museum also has a gift shop and research area.

The museum is located adjacent to Ross Cemetery, near Rural School #51 in Park Hill, Oklahoma. It was built in 1913 as a rural school in Cherokee County just after Oklahoma statehood. The school served Cherokee and non-Cherokee students and remained open through the 1950s.