These Native American Museums Beautifully Showcase Indigenous People's Expressions of Today

Midwest museums, like many nationwide, are reinterpreting Native American culture by moving away from outdated, stereotypical representations towards more nuanced and accurate depictions of Indigenous people. This includes partnering with Native American communities to incorporate their voices and perspectives into exhibits and programming, as well as addressing the historical context and ongoing impact of colonization and cultural suppression.

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis

Conflicting Indigenous and Western worldviews meet behind the smooth facade of the Eiteljorg, a gem in downtown Indy's White River State Park museum district. Exhibits spark challenging discussions on identity and cultural appropriation, and the gift shop is top-notch. Check online for current shows or time your visit for Eiteljorg's Indian Market and Festival, which spills onto the lawn and showcases art, music and dance from across the continent (June 24-25, 2023).

The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, South Dakota

The center's 10,000-piece collection continues to grow, thanks to annual acquisitions from the Red Cloud Indian Art Show. The summerlong event is one of only a few held on a reservation. You can buy work by Pine Ridge artists year-round in the gift shop or online. Pine Ridge Reservation, near Badlands National Park, is known for quillwork and modern ledger art, which dates to the 1800s, when illustrators replaced hides with ledger book paper.

Museum of Ojibwa Culture, St. Ignace, Michigan

Modern metal sculptures interpreting Anishinaabe traditions stand near the Straits of Mackinac. This National Historic Landmark explores how life changed for the Ojibwa, Huron and Odawa peoples when French Jesuits—including Father Jacques Marquette, who's now buried here—arrived in 1671.

Plains Art Museum, Fargo, North Dakota

Natural light and many forms of expression fill a renovated warehouse at Plains Art Museum. Outside, see Pasteur Mudende's mural of Toni Morrison and Kaleidoscope by Chris Walla and his students at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Indigenous teens receive hands-on instruction during the two-week Northern Plains Summer Art Institute.

Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln houses many historical and contemporary works by Hopi, Navajo, Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek) and Oglala Lakota artists, among others, at the Great Plains Art Museum. Rotating exhibitions, such as Water in a Dry Land (through July 8, 2023), often showcase regionally inspired art.