National Museum of the American Indian

The Museum of the American Indian, in Washington

The National Museum of the American Indian is devoted, with respect, to the history, the culture and the arts of the Native American peoples. The Washington audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this museum with a very original architecture, tribute to the first nations of the continent, on the National Mall.

The tribute to the Native American peoples

Under its very original form, this museum is devoted to the history, the culture and the arts of the Native American peoples, the first nations that inhabited the American continent long before the arrival of the Europeans. Member of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of the American Indian stands out at once by its remarkable architecture: its building of light stone with curved and undulating forms evokes the rocks sculpted by the wind and the water, in rupture with the neoclassical buildings around, and is surrounded by gardens planted with indigenous species. Inside, the museum presents, with respect and sensitivity, the rich Native American civilisations of the two Americas, from the Far North to Tierra del Fuego: art objects, ornaments, clothes, pottery, sculptures and testimonies tell their history, their beliefs, their way of life and their resilience, including the painful pages of the colonisation. Designed in collaboration with the indigenous communities themselves, the museum gives them the floor and honours their living heritage. A place of memory and celebration, the National Museum of the American Indian is a fine stop of the discovery of Washington.

What to see

Here you discover, with respect, the museum devoted to the history, the culture and the arts of the Native American peoples, with a remarkable architecture of light stone with curved forms evoking the rocks sculpted by the wind; it presents the rich civilisations of the two Americas, art objects, ornaments and testimonies, including the painful pages of the colonisation, designed with the indigenous communities. The Museum of the American Indian is a living tribute in Washington. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The National Museum of the American Indian lies on the National Mall, near the Capitol, in Washington, reachable on foot and by public transport. The visit follows its own hours and conditions, which vary; entry to the Smithsonian museums is generally free. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

What is the National Museum of the American Indian devoted to in Washington?

To the history, the culture and the arts of the Native American peoples, the first nations of the continent: art objects, ornaments, pottery and testimonies tell their civilisations of the two Americas, their beliefs and their resilience, including the painful pages of the colonisation; with an original architecture with curved forms, it was designed with the indigenous communities.

Where is the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington?

On the National Mall, near the Capitol, in Washington, in the United States.