National Museum of the American Indian - New York City, NY

Address:1 Bowling GRN
New York, New York
Tel: (212) 514-3700

Wood and stone carvings and masks, elegant clothes and hides, human remains and funerary objects, everyday tools and religious artifacts - the trappings and possessions of entire civilizations under one roof at the National Museum of the American Indian. When you look at the collections, spanning all major culture areas of the Americas, representing virtually all tribes of the United States and Canada, and a significant number of cultures from Central and South America including the Caribbean, it should come as no surprise the National Museum of the American Indian is considered to possess one of the world's most significant collections of images documenting Native peoples.

The museum hosts tours, film screenings, live performances, lectures and workshops. The multi media exhibits and cool artifacts should keep children entertained, and since the museum is not dauntingly big, visitors have time to read and learn without feeling pressure to rush to the next exhibit.

Established by an act of Congress in 1989, the National Museum of the American Indian is the sixteenth museum of the Smithsonian Institution and works in collaboration with the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere to protect and foster their cultures by reaffirming traditions and beliefs, encouraging contemporary artistic expression and empowering the Indian voice. The museum in New York is one of three National Museums of the American Indian, and its official name is the George Gustav Heye Center, after the collection's main assembler.

The National Museum of the American Indian is adjacent to the northeast corner of Battery Park, New York. To get to the museum by subway, take the 4 and 5 train to Bowling Green, or the 1 train to South Ferry. You can also get there on the R and W trains: take either one to Whitehall Street, then transfer to M, J and Z trains to Broad Street.