Mid-America All-Indian Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1976 |
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| Location | 650 North Seneca Street, Wichita, KS 67203 USA |
The Mid-America All-Indian Center is a special museum in America. It teaches people all about the history and culture of Native Americans. You can find this museum in Wichita, Kansas, right by the Arkansas River. It's the only place in the whole state of Kansas that focuses only on American Indian culture.
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What You Can See at the Museum
The Mid-America All-Indian Center is more than just a museum. It's also a cultural center. Its main goal is to teach everyone about Native American heritage and help keep it alive.
Amazing Art and Artifacts
The museum has a huge collection of art. It includes the largest public display of works by Blackbear Bosin. He was a famous Kiowa-Comanche artist who made sculptures and paintings. You can also see many other cool things. These include beautiful beadwork, special pipe bags, shiny jewelry, unique pottery, and woven baskets.
The museum also has a big collection of art from Alaska Native people from the mid-1900s. In a special area called the Gallery of Nations, you can see flags from over 70 different American Indian tribes.
The Museum's Journey
The Mid-America All-Indian Center first opened its doors in 1976. Back then, it was a place for culture and also helped the Native American community with different services. One of the people who helped start the museum was Betty Nixon. She was a Kiowa artist and later led the museum's board.
How the Museum Grew Stronger
Over time, the museum faced some challenges. In 2005, the city of Wichita stepped in to help. The city temporarily closed the museum to help it get back on track. They worked hard to make sure the museum could keep sharing its important stories.
The city and the museum worked together to manage things better. They made sure all the items in the collection were carefully checked and recorded. Everything was photographed and put into a computer system. This helped them keep track of all the valuable artifacts. It was a big success, and all the items were found and organized!
A Hub for Culture Today
Today, the Mid-America All-Indian Center is a lively place. It welcomes about 40,000 visitors every year. It's a very important cultural spot for the 10,000 American Indians who live in the Wichita area. These people come from 72 different tribes.
The center often hosts powwows and other cultural events. These events are a great way to celebrate and share Native American traditions. In 2011, the museum started the first annual American Indian Festival. This festival was inspired by the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City. The American Indian Festival continued for a few years.
The museum also holds fundraisers throughout the year. Two of the biggest events are the Mid-America All-Indian Center Benefit Car Show in the spring and the Mid-America All-Indian Center and Friends Culture Dash in the fall. These events help support the museum's important work.
