Southwest Museum of the American Indian facts for kids
Museum building as seen from Sycamore Grove Park
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| Former name | Southwest Museum of the American Indian |
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| Established | 1907 |
| Dissolved | 2022 |
| Location | 234 Museum Drive Los Angeles, California |
| Founder | Charles Fletcher Lummis |
| Architect | Sumner Hunt |
| Public transit access | Southwest Museum |
| Built | 1912–1914 |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001270 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 11, 2004 |
The Southwest Museum of the American Indian was a special place in Los Angeles, California. It was a museum, a library, and an archive. It sat high up in the Mt. Washington neighborhood. The museum overlooked the beautiful Arroyo Seco canyon.
This museum was famous for its huge collection of items from Native American cultures. It also had many pieces of art and artifacts from before Hispanic times, the Spanish colonial era, and the American West.
The museum's collections included important items from Native American groups like the American Indians of the Great Plains, American Indians of California, and American Indians of the Northwest Coast. Many of these items are now stored in a special facility. The Southwest Museum and the Autry Museum together hold the second-largest collection of Native American art in the United States. Only the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian has more.
You could reach the museum by taking the Metro A Line train. The Southwest Museum station was right down the hill. From there, a short walk led to a long tunnel. This tunnel once showed cool displays, but they have since been moved. At the end of the tunnel, an elevator took visitors up to the museum's main area. The museum officially closed its doors in September 2022.
History of the Southwest Museum
The idea for the Southwest Museum came from Charles Fletcher Lummis. He was an anthropologist, a historian, a journalist, and a photographer. Lummis started a group called the Southwest Society. This group was part of the Archaeological Institute of America.
He got support from important people in Los Angeles. With help from lawyer Joseph Scott, the Southwest Museum opened in 1907. The first collections were shown in downtown Los Angeles. They moved a few times before settling at the Mt. Washington site in 1914.
Designing the Museum Building
The main building, finished in 1914, was designed by architects Sumner P. Hunt and Silas Reese Burns. Later, more parts were added to the museum. The Caroline Boeing Poole Wing of Basketry was built in 1941. It was designed by architect Gordon B. Kaufmann. The Braun Research Library was added in 1971, designed by Glen E. Cook.
An early leader of the museum was Frederick Russell Burnham. He was a very respected military scout. He also helped start the international scouting movement.
Changes and Closure
In 2003, the museum faced challenges and joined forces with the Autry Museum. It became known as the Autry Museum's Mt. Washington Campus. The museum stopped operating full-time. It then closed completely in September 2022. The museum's collections were moved to a new, safe storage building. This new facility opened in October 2022.
Over the years, there were discussions about the museum's future. The Autry Museum teamed up with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the City of Los Angeles. They wanted to create a long-term plan for the historic site. On January 22, 2015, the Southwest Museum was named a National Treasure. This means it's a very important historic place.
In 2019, the Autry and the National Trust asked for ideas to bring the campus back to life. However, as of November 2022, the Autry is no longer planning to reopen the building as a museum. Renovating it would cost a lot of money. Instead, they are looking to sell the building.
See also
