MUSEUM GUIDE 2025/2026

Welcome to the 2025 edition of our Museum Guide. Native American Art features museum coverage in every issue, but our October/November issue allows us to let off the brakes and put in as much as possible. And trust me, there is a lot out there. More and more museums, even ones not dedicated to Indigenous art, are exploring Indigenous art, themes and artists. There are many reasons, but here’s a big one: every square inch of this continent once belonged to Indigenous people. Thus, every museum in North America occupies land that was first touched by Indigenous peoples. Museums need not even look far to find artists or history that relates to the immediate, local or regional area around an institution. By including Native American art and artists in exhibitions and programming, museums are correcting the historical record and acknowledging the vast eons of creativity that has flourished on this continent long before these museums opened their doors. It’s an exciting time for museums, and it’s likely to get more exciting. — Michael Clawson

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A view of the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut. Courtesy Bruce Museum.

Bruce Museum
1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830 • (203) 869-0376 info@brucemuseum.org • www.brucemuseum.org
The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, offers a changing array of exceptional exhibitions and educational programs that cultivate discovery and wonder through the power of art and science. Ahead of its time for taking this multidisciplinary approach over a century ago, the Bruce Museum is at the heart of contemporary efforts to bring together art, science and education to spark conversation, connection and creativity. The museum welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually, playing an integral role in the area’s cultural life.

Left: Bruce Museum, Blue Point Urchin, 2016, ash, sweetgrass and dye, 5 x 9 x 9 in., by Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy). Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Ari and Lea Plosker. © Jeremy Frey. Image courtesy Eric Stoner. Right: Bruce Museum, Loon, 2015, ash, cedar bark, porcupine quill on birch bark and dye, 19 x 10 x 10 in., by Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy). Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marc Appelbaum, New Mexico. © Jeremy Frey. Image courtesy Eric Stoner.

The Bruce features state-of-the-art exhibition, education and community spaces, including a changing gallery for art and five permanent art galleries. Recent art exhibitions include Jeremy Frey: Woven and Isamu Noguchi: Metal the Mirror. Recent science exhibits include On Thin Ice: Alaska’s Warming Wilderness and Conservation Through the Arts: Celebrating the Federal Duck Stamp.

Upcoming Exhibitions
Leonardo Drew: Alchemy
December 4, 2025-May 10, 2026
Ursula von Rydingsvard: States of Becoming
December 4, 2025-May 10, 2026

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An exterior view of the Eiteljorg Museum in downtown Indianapolis

Eiteljorg Museum
500 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 • (317) 636-9378 communications@eiteljorg.com • www.eiteljorg.org
For 36 years, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Indianapolis and scenic White River State Park. The Eiteljorg Museum explores the intersection of the arts, histories and cultures of the past and present by sharing the diverse stories of the American West and the Indigenous Peoples of North America.

Left: The Eiteljorg Museum’s Native American art galleries, featuring the ongoing exhibition Expressions of Life: Native Art in North America. Right: Eiteljorg Museum, Nagamo “She Sings”, 2019, birch bark with naturally and commercially dyed porcupine quills, size 12 vintage Italian glass beads, size 13 24k gold-plated Charlotte true cut seed beads and smoked buckskin, by Monica Jo Raphael (Anishinaabe/Sičaŋgˇu Lakota). Collection of the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art 2019 Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market and Festival Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award.

Open daily, the Eiteljorg features riveting art exhibitions, regular public programs and annual festivals that engage visitors. Past exhibitions have featured work by contemporary Native artists such as Preston Singletary (Tlingit), among others. Located on the Central Canal, the Eiteljorg is a nonprofit organization.

Upcoming Exhibitions
Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship 2025: Emerging Current
November 8, 2025-February 22, 2026
Gaawii Eta-Go Aawizinoo Gaawiye Mkakoons: It’s Not Just A Quillbox
December 13, 2025-March 29, 2026
Voices from the Arctic: Inuit Contemporary Art
Through April 5, 2026

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The Heard Museum campus in Phoenix. Photo courtesy Heard Museum.

Heard Museum
2301 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004 • (602) 252-8840 contact@heard.org • www.heard.org
Experience the vibrant world where Indigenous art tells powerful stories at the Heard Museum, a cultural icon in Downtown Phoenix. Since 1929, the Heard has been a place where visitors connect with the vibrant creativity of Indigenous artists. As one of the world’s leading museums dedicated to American Indian art, the museum offers an experience beyond the ordinary, drawing more than 145,000 visitors annually.

The museum’s ongoing exhibitions, like Substance of Stars and Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories, highlight the resilience and contributions of Native communities while sparking meaningful conversations. The institution proudly stewards a permanent collection of more than 46,000 works of Indigenous creation, complemented by 434,000 materials in its renowned library and archives.

Left: Heard Museum, Indian Princess, 1983, wood, metal, ceramic, paint, 49¼ x 28¼ x 7½ in., by Bob Haozous (Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache). Gift of Dr. Rennard Strickland. Right: Heard Museum, Our Land Variation II, 2008, oil stick on paper, by Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee). Miller Meigs Collections. Photo by JSP Art Photography.

Collaborating closely with Native scholars, artists and communities, the Heard Museum ensures that the stories represented are told with respect and accuracy. Beyond the exhibitions, the museum’s engaging public programs, educational initiatives and annual cultural festivals invite you to dive deeper into the fascinating world of Indigenous cultures.

Recognized by the New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler and USA Today as one of the top museums in the United States, the Heard Museum is more than just a destination—it’s a journey into the heart of Indigenous creativity. Whether you’re exploring our galleries, attending a cultural event, or participating in an educational program, the Heard Museum promises an unforgettable experience that connects you to the heart and soul of American Indian art and culture.

Upcoming Exhibitions
Kay WalkingStick / Hudson River School
January 23-May 25, 2026
Notes to Self
April 10-December 6, 2026

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An exterior view of the High Desert Museum. Photo by Chris Murray.

High Desert Museum
59800 US Highway 97, Bend, OR 97702 • (541) 382-4754 • info@highdesertmuseum.org • www.highdesertmuseum.org
The High Desert Museum, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Bend, Oregon, is dedicated to celebrating the vast High Desert region through art, cultures, science and history. Known for its immersive and thought-provoking exhibitions and wildlife encounters, the museum invites visitors to explore the rich tapestry of species and cultures of the region. Currently on exhibit is Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky, a career retrospective of renowned Indigenous artist Joe Feddersen (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation).

Left: High Desert Museum, Floating By, 2020, blown glass with enamel, 13 x 9¾ x 9¾ in., by Joe Feddersen (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation). Collection of the artist. Courtesy studio e gallery, Seattle, Washington. Photo by Dean Davis. © Joe Feddersen. Right: High Desert Museum, Elk at Spotted Lake, 2016, relief monoprint with spray paint, 19 x 14¾ in., by Joe Feddersen (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation). Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon. Gift of the artist 2019.009.005. Photo by Dean Davis. © Joe Feddersen.

The exhibition encompasses four decades of Feddersen’s career, from wall-sized installations to miniatures and baskets. Additionally, the museum’s popular Indigenous Speakers Series is underway for its second year. Featuring a diverse array of Native artists, storytellers, scholars and more, the fall series includes Alyce Sadongei (Kiowa/Tohono O’odham), Harry Slickpoo Jr. (Nez Perce) and Dr. Michelle M. Jacob (Yakama).

Upcoming Exhibitions
Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky
Through January 18, 2026

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Artwork on display at the Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum.

Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum
6866 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite 150, Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 722-7798 • www.maynarddixonmuseum.org
The Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum in Tucson, Arizona, is dedicated to the lifework of legendary Western artist Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) and to the voices of Native Americans through historic and contemporary artworks. The museum features the most extensive collection of drawings, sketches, oil paintings, hand-written poems, letters and ephemera related to Maynard Dixon. A world-class collection of Native American jewelry, pottery, baskets, kachinas, weavings and Polynesian art is featured in the museum as well. Highlights include pottery by Maria and Julian Martinez; their son, Popovi Da; and grandson, Tony Da. There is a significant collection of historic Native American jewelry, as well as a vintage Navajo silversmith bench with original tools.

Left: Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum, Night Indian, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Fritz Scholder (Luiseño, 1937-2005). Right: Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum, Treading Between the Horns, ca. 1989, oil on paper on canvas, 38¼ x 50 in., by Emmi Whitehorse (Navajo (Diné)).

The rotating exhibitions in the Presidential Room feature celebrated artists who have been inspired by the work of Maynard Dixon or Native American culture and art.

Major Upcoming Exhibitions
Native Voices 1950-2025
March 6-October 9, 2026

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An aerial view of the Wheelwright Museum grounds

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
704 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505 • (505) 982-4636 • www.wheelwright.org
The Wheelwright Museum—named for Mary Cabot Wheelwright (1878–1958), one of the two founders—is recognized as a historic landmark and has been open to the public since 1937. The modernist building takes the form of a Navajo hooghan, which reflects the importance of Navajo esteemed singer Hastiin Klah (1867-1937) to the founding of the museum. The historic building is the work of architect and furniture designer William Penhallow Henderson (1877-1943).

On the museum’s landscaped grounds, visitors will find works by sculptors Melanie Yazzie (Navajo) and Alan Houser (Chiracahua Apache, 1914-1994,) and the plaza offers beautiful views. Visitors enter the historic museum building (echoing the Navajo hooghan) through the door facing east.

The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian features an array of Indigenous artworks.

Inside the museum are permanent and temporary exhibitions of both contemporary and historic Native American art. The Wheelwright’s collection has around 11,000 items, including jewelry, metalwork, carving, basketry, folk art and textiles of the Navajo, Rio Grande Pueblo and other Native peoples of New Mexico.

The Case Trading Post was opened in 1975 and echoes historic Navajo trading posts. For many in the know this is a destination, carrying fine vintage, modern and contemporary Native American art bought directly from artists and makers, or sold on consignment.

Major Upcoming Exhibitions
Memo to the Mother: Bob Haozous’s Messages to Mother Earth
Through January 10, 2026
Gestural In Form with works by Virgil Ortiz
Through January 11, 2026
12th Annual SITE SANTA FE
Through January 11, 2026
Visualizing K’é: New Works by Marwin Begaye
Through March 28, 2026

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The entrance to the Gorman Museum of Native American Art.

Gorman Museum of Native American Art
University of California Davis, 181 Old Davis Road, Davis CA 95616 • (530) 752-6567 • gormanmuseum.ucdavis.edu
The Gorman Museum of Native American Art at University of California Davis was founded in 1973 by the Department of Native American Studies in honor of retired faculty member, Carl Nelson Gorman, Navajo artist, World War II code-talker, cultural historian and advocate for Native peoples. As a founding faculty member of Native American studies, Gorman was the first faculty member to teach Native American art at UC Davis in 1969.

Gorman Museum of Native American Art, Peethívthaneen ikyáavan (Fix the Earth Person), 2018, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Lyn Risling (Yurok/Hupa).

The Gorman Museum of Native American Art is committed to contemporary Native American art that enacts “visual sovereignty” by stimulating critical thinking through politically and socially engaging exhibitions. For more than 50 years, the Gorman Museum has been dedicated to the creative expressions of Native American artists. The museum’s reputation of artistic excellence is proven by its company of exhibiting artists, including some of the most established Native artists as well as the next generations of emerging Indigenous artists.

Upcoming Exhibitions
Rick Bartow
September 17, 2025-January 18, 2026
Native Arts Market
November 9, 2024

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The Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff.

Museum of Northern Arizona
3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (928) 774-5213 • www.musnaz.org
The Museum of Northern Arizona is a premier cultural destination dedicated to illuminating the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau. Through its exhibitions and programs, the museum explores the connections between people, place and time—weaving together art, science and culture. Its distinguished collections include thousands of works of art, with particular strength in Native American art. Highlights include masterworks by pioneering artists whose influence extends from the Santa Fe Indian School to the international stage. Among the renowned names represented are Nampeyo, Allan Houser, Pablita Velarde, Pop Chalee, Harrison Begay, Helen Hardin, Dan Namingha, Fred and Michael Kabotie, Beatien Yazz and Baje Whitethorne Sr.

Museum of Northern Arizona, Ah-hola Priest, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 21 in., by Milland Lomakema (Hopi).

Set at the foot of the sacred San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, the museum has served as a center for research, creativity and cultural exchange for nearly a century.

Upcoming Exhibitions
Collecting in a Changing World
Through January 4, 2026
Wagon Road to Mother Road
November 16, 2025- October 26, 2026
Katsina Hopi Dolls
Opens January 10, 2026

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Philbrook Museum of Art, Cry of the Conqueror, Tewa Tales of Suspense #14, 2012, ceramic tile, paint, 11 x 8¼ x ¼ in., by Jason Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo).

Philbrook Museum of Art
2727 S. Rockford Road, Tulsa, OK 74114 • (918) 748-5300 • www.philbrook.org
The Philbrook Museum of Art is committed to being Tulsa’s most welcoming and engaging cultural institution, providing a unique trifecta of experiences: a historic home, world-class art museum and 25 acres of gardens. The Philbrook Museum of Art opened on October 25, 1939. The addition of a 70,000-square-foot wing in 1990 turned the historic home into a modern museum complex.

Philbrook Museum of Art, Plains Indian Dancer, 1967, watercolor on mat board, 9 x 7 in., by Fred Beaver (Creek-Seminole, 1911-1980). Gift of Dr. and Mrs. John Robinson, 2013.12.1.

A major garden renovation in 2004 cemented the museum’s reputation as “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma.”  Through bold action and strategic investment, the Philbrook creates a space for new ideas, diverse stories and perspectives, and social connection. The Philbrook Collection features more than 16,000 objects with a focus on American, Native American and European art. Serving 160,000-plus visitors annually, Philbrook shines a light on Tulsa’s storied and complex past while building a diverse and creative vision of the city’s future.

Major Upcoming Exhibitions
Jordan Ann Craig: Do the Patterns Notice Me?
October 11, 2025-October 10, 2026