National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)
Title
National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)
Description
Opened in 2004 after nearly 15 years of planning and negotiations, the National Museum of the American Indian holds nearly 800,000 objects of cultural and historical significance. A photographic archive holds an additional 125,000 images. Congress established NMAI after it was discovered that the Smithsonian Institution held some 18,000 Native American remains. Native leaders petitioned Congress for respectful treatment of those remains, culminating in the museum's authorization.
Creator
Source
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. View original.
Date
2004 (Opened)
Coverage
Physical Description
Designed by Native American architects, the museum's Expressionist architectural style incorporates design features that evoke western North American landscapes.