George Flett, Spokane, Untitled (Warrior Riding over Congressional record), 1930-31 (click to see larger image)Exhibiting Native American Cultures:

Points of Contact

Museum Studies Special Topics, A460/560

 

Larry J. Zimmerman, Ph.D., RPA
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Resources

Lectures/PowerPoints

Contact: What it means and how it operates

Museums with major Native American Collections
(This is hardly a complete list, but is a good sample.)

Eiteljorg MuseumEiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art

The Eiteljorg Native American galleries are the focal point of this class. You will need to become familiar with many aspects of its organization.

NMAI logoThe National Museum of the American Indian
NMAI is abut 15 years old, with facilities in New York City, Maryland, and with a new museum on the mall in Washington, DC. The Eiteljorg is one of NMAI's regional partners.

Logo of The Plains Indian Museum of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center

The Plains Indian Museum of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, has major Plains Indian collections and has recently reinstalled galleries. They have excellent online resources including their catalog.

Logo for the Autry National CenterAutry National Center: Southwest Museum of the American Indian

The Southwest Museum of the Autry Center in Los Angeles has major collections and has recently rededicated their exhibitions. See the online materials about them, especially their People of the Southwest: Changing Traditions exhibit.

Heard Museum logo The Heard Museum

Located in Phoenix, the Heard is probably the best known of the Southwest's Indian museums. It has also recently reinstalled its galleries.

Logo, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, MIAC has several excellent online exhibits including a fascinating one about the Tourist Icons: Native American Kitsch, Camp, and Fine Art Along Route 66.

Historical Societies with Major Collections of American Indian Materials

Minnesota Historical Society Logo

The Minnesota Historical Society

MHS has several excellent collections including their Ojibwa Collection and Fur Trade Collection, both having to do with contact between Natives and non-Natives.

 

North Dakota State Historical Society logo

The North Dakota State Historical Society

The NDSHS has two terrific online exhibits about Indians.

People of the Upper Missouri and their Lewis and Clark exhibit, especially about the people encountered, are excellent.

South Dakota State Historical Society logoThe South Dakota State Historical Society

The SDHS also has a good Lewis and Clark exhibit with good sections on the Yankton, Teton, and Arikara Indians.


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