George Gustav Heye Center facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
George Gustav Heye Center
National Museum of the American Indian

Established	1922
Location	Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green, Manhattan, New York, United States
Visitors	239,435 (2022)
Public transit access	New York City Bus: M9, M15, M15 SBS, M20, M55 New York City Subway: ​ train at Bowling Green or ​​​ train at South Ferry – Whitehall Street

The George Gustav Heye Center in New York City is a special museum. It's part of the National Museum of the American Indian and the larger Smithsonian Institution. This museum is located in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in Manhattan. It shows amazing art and objects from both today and the past, all made by and about Native American people.

The museum started as the Museum of the American Indian. It was founded by George Heye in 1916. Later, in 1987, it became part of the national museum and the Smithsonian family.

History of the George Gustav Heye Center

How the Museum Began

The museum is named after George Gustav Heye. He started collecting Native American items way back in 1903. He loved these artifacts so much that he decided to create a museum.

In 1916, he founded the Museum of the American Indian. It officially opened its doors in 1922. The first location was at 155th Street and Broadway in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.

Moving to a New Home

By 1987, the museum needed a bigger and better place. Its old building in Upper Manhattan was not large enough. A U.S. senator named Daniel Patrick Moynihan suggested a new home. He thought the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in Lower Manhattan would be perfect.

At first, some local leaders, like Mayor Ed Koch, were not sure about the move. But they soon agreed. Another senator, Daniel Inouye, then suggested a different idea. He wanted the museum's collection to join the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

A Big Compromise

In 1988, everyone reached a good agreement. The Smithsonian would build its own museum in Washington, D.C. It would also take care of George Heye's collection. This collection would stay in New York City at the Custom House. This plan became law in 1989.

The George Gustav Heye Center officially opened in the Custom House in 1994. The Custom House is a beautiful building. It was designed by architect Cass Gilbert and finished in 1907. It's considered a very important historical building.

In 2006, the museum updated its ground floor. They added a new area called the Diker Pavilion. This added about 6,000 square feet of space. It's used for public displays and special events. The museum now has about 20,000 square feet for exhibits and visitors.

The Heye Center offers many things to see and do. It has different exhibits, film showings, and programs for school groups. It also hosts presentations about Native American cultures throughout the year.

Exploring the Museum Galleries

Infinity of Nations Exhibit

The main collection at the Heye Center is called "Infinity of Nations." This exhibit shows how vast the Smithsonian's collection is. It's organized by different geographic regions. These include areas from Central and South America.

The exhibit features over 700 items. It blends the study of cultures with beautiful art. You can also use multimedia tools like audio and video. These include historians explaining specific objects.

Other Special Areas

The rotunda on the second floor is a large, round room. It's often used for performances. This room also has murals by Reginald Marsh. These murals show the history of the building.

Other areas in the museum include:

• The Photography Gallery
• Special Exhibit Galleries
• Contemporary Galleries
• The Haudenosaunee Discovery Room
• The Resource Center Reference Library
• A small theater that shows daily films
• The museum store

On the ground floor, you'll find the Diker Pavilion for Native Arts and Culture. The imagiNATIONS Activity Center opened there in 2018. This used to be an education center. People sometimes called it "The Tipi Room."

Past Exhibitions at the Center

The George Gustav Heye Center has hosted many interesting exhibits over the years. Here are a few examples:

• Beauty Surrounds Us (2006–2011): This was the first exhibit in the Diker Pavilion.
• A Song for the Horse Nation (2009–2011): This exhibit showed how important horses became to Native American cultures after 1493.
• Hide: Skin as Material and Metaphor (2010–2011): This exhibit explored ideas about race and how people are represented.
• Grab (2011): This photo exhibit celebrated a special tradition called Grab Day in Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico.
• Preston Singletary: Echoes, Fire, and Shadows (2011): This exhibit featured glass sculptures by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary. They showed Tlingit myths and legends.
• Carl Beam (2011–2012): This exhibit displayed the work of Ojibwe artist Carl Beam. It looked at modern culture and history. His famous work, The North American Iceberg, is now in the National Gallery of Canada.
• Identity by Design (2008–2010): This exhibit showed dresses and accessories. It highlighted the traditions and identities of Native American women.
• Andrea Carlson (2009–2010): This exhibit featured art that explored how museum visitors experience culture.
• Annie Pootoogook (2009–2010): This exhibit showed 39 drawings by an Inuit artist. Her drawings showed life in the Canadian North.
• Ramp it Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America (2009–2010): This exhibit celebrated skateboarding culture. It included graphic design, filmmaking, music, and Native American businesses.
• Fritz Scholder: Indian/Not Indian (2008–2009): This exhibit showed paintings, drawings, and sculptures by Luiseno artist Fritz Scholder. It focused on his later work.
• Listening to Our Ancestors (2007–2008): This exhibit featured over 400 objects. It showed Native life and how traditions change on the North Pacific coast.
• Norval Morrisseau: Shaman Artist (2007–2008): This exhibit explored themes of Shamanism and Catholicism in the art of Anishnaabe artist Norval Morrisseau.

The museum also created a special online tour called the 4 Directions Project. This project involved Native American youth. They chose items from the collection and created 3D tours. They also wrote essays about their choices.

Images for kids

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  Original building at Audubon Terrace, photographed around the time of its opening in 1922

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  Rotunda of the current building, the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, during a live presentation (2012)

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  Diker pavilion (2012)

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  Infinity of Nations (2012)

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  Photography Gallery (2012)

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  The Tipi Room (2012)