National Museum of the American Indian facts for kids
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| Established | 1989 |
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| Location | Fourth Street and Independence Avenue, Southwest, Washington D.C. (main location) |
| Visitors | 1.2 million (2017) |
| Public transit access |     Federal Center SW (main location) |
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The National Museum of the American Indian is a special museum in the United States. It celebrates the rich cultures of the Native peoples of the Americas. This museum is part of the famous Smithsonian Institution, which has many museums and research centers.
The museum has three main locations. The main building is on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. It opened its doors on September 21, 2004. Another important part is the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City. This location opened in October 1994. There is also a Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Maryland. This center is where the museum keeps its collections and does research. The museum's amazing collection first started in the old Museum of the American Indian in New York City, which began in 1916. It joined the Smithsonian in 1989.
Contents
History of the Museum
People started working to create this museum in 1982. They held events to raise money and support for it. One important person was Retha Walden Gambaro. She helped organize an art show with 120 Native American artists. She was a strong supporter of having a national museum for Native American art and culture.
In 1989, a law called the National Museum of the American Indian Act was passed. This law created the National Museum of the American Indian. It was meant to be a "living memorial" to Native Americans and their traditions. The law also said that certain cultural items should be returned to tribal communities. Since 1989, the Smithsonian has returned many items to their original communities.
On September 21, 2004, the museum on the National Mall officially opened. About 20,000 Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians attended. It was the largest gathering of indigenous people in Washington, D.C., at that time.
The museum brought together collections from the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City and the Smithsonian Institution. The Heye collection joined the Smithsonian in 1990. It makes up about 85% of the museum's total items. The Heye collection used to be displayed in Uptown Manhattan. There was a big discussion about where the collection should be. Some wanted it to stay in New York, and others wanted it in the new museum in Washington, D.C. The current setup is a compromise. The Heye Center in New York City was updated and still shows exhibits. The main building on the Mall in Washington, D.C., opened later in 2004.
Museum Directors
In January 2022, Cynthia Chavez Lamar became the director of the museum. She has worked there since 2014. She is in charge of all three museum locations. Cynthia Chavez Lamar is a member of the San Felipe Pueblo. She is the first Native American woman to lead a Smithsonian museum.
Before her, Machel Monenerkit was the Acting Director. As of 2023, Greg Sarris is the Chairman of the museum's Board of Trustees.
Kevin Gover was the director from December 2007 to January 2021. He is a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. He also has Comanche heritage. He is now a leader for all Smithsonian museums and culture. The museum's first director was W. Richard West Jr.. He is a member of the Southern Cheyenne. He led the museum from 1990 to 2007.
Museum Locations
The National Museum of the American Indian has three main places. These are the main museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City, and the Cultural Resources Center in Maryland. The National Native Americans Veterans Memorial is also located near the museum in D.C.
National Mall (Washington, D.C.)
The building for the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall began construction in 1999. It officially opened on September 21, 2004.
This museum was the first national museum in the country just for Native Americans. It took 15 years to create. The building is five stories tall and has a unique curved shape. It is covered in golden-colored stone that looks like natural rock formations. These shapes were inspired by wind and water over many years.
The museum is on a large site that includes simulated wetlands. The museum's design was created with a lot of input from Native peoples. For example, its east-facing entrance and a tall space for performances reflect Native traditions. Like the Heye Center, this museum offers many exhibits, films, and cultural presentations all year.
The main architect for the museum was Canadian Douglas Cardinal. He is from the Blackfoot Nation. Other architects and designers also helped. The building's design keeps his original ideas.
Native Americans have played key roles in designing and running the museum. They wanted to create a different feeling from other museums. Donna E. House, a Navajo and Oneida botanist, helped design the outdoor areas. She said, "The landscape flows into the building, and the environment is who we are. We are the trees, we are the rocks, we are the water." This idea of natural flow is seen inside the museum too. Its walls are mostly curved, with almost no sharp corners.
Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
The Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe inside the museum offers different regional foods. It has five stations, each serving food from a different Native American region. These include the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso-America, and the Great Plains. The museum has even published a Mitisam Cafe Cookbook.
George Gustav Heye Center (New York City)
George Gustav Heye (1874–1957) loved collecting Native objects. He traveled all over North and South America for 54 years, starting in 1903. He used his collection to start the Museum of the American Indian in 1916. This museum opened to the public in New York City in 1922.
The old museum closed in 1994. Part of its collection is now at the museum's George Gustav Heye Center. This center is located in the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in Lower Manhattan. This beautiful building was finished in 1907. It is a very important historical landmark. The Heye Center has many exhibits, films, and cultural programs throughout the year.
Cultural Resources Center (Maryland)
In Suitland, Maryland, the museum has its Cultural Resources Center. This is a very large, unique building shaped like a nautilus shell. It holds the museum's entire collection, a library, and photo archives. The Cultural Resources Center opened in 2003.
National Native American Veterans Memorial
The National Native American Veterans Memorial honors Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian veterans. These brave people have served in the U.S. Armed Forces in every American conflict. Congress first approved this memorial in 1994.
The memorial was first shown virtually on Veterans Day in 2020. A special dedication ceremony was held on November 11, 2022. More than 1,500 Native veterans from over 120 Native nations marched in a procession. The memorial features a steel circle standing on a stone drum. It is surrounded by benches and symbols of the military branches. Four steel lances are also part of the design. Visitors can tie cloths to these lances for prayers and healing.
The memorial was designed by Cheyenne and Arapaho artist Harvey Pratt. His design is called Warriors' Circle of Honor.
Museum Collection
The National Museum of the American Indian has an amazing collection. It includes over 800,000 objects. There are also 125,000 photographs. The collection is organized by different regions and cultures. These include the Amazon, Andes, Arctic/Subarctic, California/Great Basin, Contemporary Art, Mesoamerican/Caribbean, Northwest Coast, Patagonia, Plains/Plateau, and Woodlands.
The collection was put together by George Gustav Heye. He collected Native objects for 54 years. He traveled all over North and South America. Heye used his collection to start the Museum of the American Indian in New York. He directed it until he passed away in 1957.
The museum works closely with tribal communities. They discuss how to best care for cultural items. For example, the area where human remains are kept is ritually cleansed once a week. This is done with tobacco, sage, sweetgrass, and cedar. Sacred Crow objects are cleansed with sage during the full moon. If the right cultural tradition for an object is not known, Native staff use their own knowledge. They treat all materials with great respect.
The museum also has programs for Native American scholars and artists. They can study the museum's collections. This helps them with their own research and artwork.
Exhibits
Nation to Nation: Treaties
In 2014, the museum opened a new exhibit called Nation to Nation: Treaties. This exhibit was put together by Indian rights activist Suzan Shown Harjo. It focuses on important agreements between Native nations and other governments.
American Indian Magazine
| Editor-in-Chief | Tanya Thrasher |
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| Frequency | quarterly |
| Circulation | 42,640 |
| Publisher | Smithsonian Institution |
| First issue | 2000 |
| Country | US |
| Website | https://www.americanindianmagazine.org/ |
| ISSN | 1528-0640 |
| OCLC | 43245983 |
The museum publishes a magazine four times a year. It is called American Indian. The magazine covers many topics about Native Americans. It has won awards for its quality. The magazine's goal is to "Celebrate Native Traditions and Communities."
See also
- Always Becoming
- Ben Nighthorse Campbell
- Daniel Inouye
- George Gustav Heye Center
- List of national memorials of the United States
- National Museum of the American Indian Act
