Note: All submitted events must be approved before they appear in the calendar.
In advance of Veterans Day, composer, singer and drummer Ralph Zotigh (Kiowa) will sing an honor song he composed for Native American women veterans. He will be joined by his […]
In advance of Veterans Day, composer, singer and drummer Ralph Zotigh (Kiowa) will sing an honor song he composed for Native American women veterans. He will be joined by his […]
Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition, is also the author of “Jacksonland,” a history of President Andrew Jackson’s long-running conflict with John Ross, a Cherokee chief who resisted the removal of Indians from the eastern United States in the 1830s. Inskeep will join Kevin Gover (Pawnee), director of the National Museum of the American […]
Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition, is also the author of “Jacksonland,” a history of President Andrew Jackson’s long-running conflict with John Ross, a Cherokee chief who resisted the […]
The Hopi Tribe is a sovereign nation located in northeastern Arizona. Their nation encompasses more than 1.5-million acres, and is made up of 12 villages on three mesas. Over the […]
This family-friendly event celebrates Indigenous games from the Arctic to Argentina. Visitors can meet Talibah Begay (Navajo) as she shares a traditional Navajo shoe game and test their skill with […]
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the month of March; 1:30–2:30 PM Meet in the Potomac Atrium, First Level Cultural Interpreters from the National Museum of the American Indian lead a […]
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian holds its annual Chocolate Festival in February. From the blossoms of the cacao tree which grows in Mesoamerica, the Maya culture developed […]
To commemorate Women’s History Month, the National Museum of the American Indian presents The REDress Project, an outdoor art installation by artist Jaime Black (Métis). Showing in the United States […]
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the month of March 1:30–2:30 PM Meet in the Potomac Atrium, First Level Cultural Interpreters from the National Museum of the American Indian lead a […]
Métis artist Jaime Black conceptualized the outdoor art installation “The REDress Project.” The artist will engage with the red dresses displayed along the Riverwalk located in the museum’s Native landscape […]
Métis artist Jaime Black conceptualized the outdoor art installation “The REDress Project.” The artist will engage with the red dresses displayed along the Riverwalk located in the museum’s Native landscape […]
Safety for Our Sisters: Ending Violence Against Native Women draws vitally needed attention to the pressing and pervasive issue of violence against Native women, who suffer disproportionately high levels of […]
(USA, 2018, 64 min.) Co-Directors: Christina D. King (Seminole/Creek/Sac & Fox), Elizabeth Castle In the 1970s, with the swagger of unapologetic Indianness, organizers of the American Indian Movement (AIM) fought […]
The National Museum of the American Indian celebrates Cherokee history during the sixth annual Cherokee Days festival April 12–14, featuring the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes—Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band […]
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is hosting its annual Living Earth Festival April 26–28 at its museum in Washington, D.C. Living Earth brings together Native innovators and practitioners […]
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is hosting its annual Living Earth Festival April 26–28 at its museum in Washington, D.C. Living Earth brings together Native innovators and practitioners […]
With his national bestselling novel There There, Tommy Orange (Cheyenne and Arapaho) asks readers to examine their assumptions about who Native Americans are and how and where they live. Join […]
Celebrate Hawai'i After Hours at the National Museum of the American Indian. The museum opens its doors for a late-night event to begin the three-day festival dedicated to Hawaiian Culture. […]
King Kamehameha—respected Native Hawaiian warrior, leader and diplomat—united the Hawaiian Islands into a royal kingdom in 1810. Learn about the King’s legacy by exploring the lua, traditional training for warriors, […]
Native American jazz, classical and popular musicians have experienced artistic and commercial success since well before the turn of the 20th century. Many were first exposed to this music at […]
You are invited to the free three-day Kaypi Peru Festival at the National Museum of the American Indian. This event highlights the South American nation’s rich and diverse cultural heritage […]
Indian City is a Native music group based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their style harmoniously draws from pop, acoustic and rock, bringing it all together in an entertaining live show. Their dynamic fusion of lyrics, music and personality creates the spirit and pulse of Indigenous story and voice. Vince Fontaine’s newest project, Indian City reflects his […]
In celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the National Museum of the American Indian will host a special concert featuring Chilean tenor Miguel Ángel Pellao (Pehuenche). One of the finest voices in Chile, Pellao has an incredible lyrical capacity that allows him to excel in singing everything from classical and symphonic […]
Director: Stephanie Clattenburg (2016, documentary, 80 min., Canada) In 2012, Kinnie Starr (Mohawk) was approached to make a film about herself, but chose instead to make a film about the gender gap in the music industry. By 2016, the film was completed. A collaboration with Director Stephanie Clattenburg and Producer Sahar Yousefi, Play Your Gender […]
Director: Inuk Silis Høegh (Inuit) (2014, documentary, 74 min., Greenland/Denmark/Norway) In Kalaallisut and Danish with English subtitles) From 1973 to 1976 the Greenlandic rock band Sumé released three albums and changed the history of Greenland. The group’s political songs were the first to be recorded in the Greenlandic language – a language that prior to […]
Corn, beans, and squash, commonly known as “the Three Sisters,” have been important companion crops in Indigenous communities in the Americas for centuries. This combination not only holds traditional wisdom and folklore but has also been proven to be scientifically and environmentally symbiotic. As part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival "Beyond the Mall" digital programming, […]
April 22 – 25; on demand In celebration of Earth Day, the National Museum of the American Indian’s annual Living Earth Festival will be available on demand over four days. […]
Thursday, March 18; on demand. What roles do Indigenous women uphold that serve both their communities and our society at large? Watch a conversation between two young Native women who […]
Friday, March 19; 12 p.m. EST https://watch.eventive.org/dceff2021/play/6036d9c9b1784600298008ca (Mexico,2019,67 min.) Director: Adriana Otero and Robin Canul The DC premiere of What Happened to the Bees? Co-presented with the National Museum of […]
Saturday, March 20, 1 – 3 p.m. EST Traditional foods and the knowledge related to growing, harvesting, storing and preparing them has been practiced for millennia by Indigenous peoples. Participants […]
Thursday, April 8; 5 p.m. EST Free, registration required What is the connection between a desire for recognition of one’s culture and activism for equity? Join educators from the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of the American Indian in a conversation about identity and assimilation in relation to a portrait of activist Zitkála-Šá/Gertrude […]
Friday, April 23, 1–3:30 PM ET / 10 AM–12:30 PM PT Register online Learn how to contribute to Wikipedia and increase the representation of Native American women online. During this […]
May 1 – 31; on demand Explore the story of the Native Hawaiian tradition of lūʻau and learn why it plays such an important role in Hawaiian culture featuring Vicky […]
Explore the story of the lūʻau and learn how it showcases the music, the hula and traditional food preparation, and the importance of sharing these traditions through the generations. This […]
May 19, 2 p.m. EST An illustrated talk by author and historian William C. Meadows followed by audience Q&A. Check the museum’s website for updates and Zoom link.
During World War I and World War II, American Indians made a unique contribution to the U.S. Armed Forces by using their tribal languages in secret battle communications. Watch author […]
Indigenous coastal Pacific communities have respected and protected their homelands’ ocean resources for thousands of years. Listen to a conversation with young Indigenous activists from across the Pacific who are […]
Youth in Action: Ecological Knowledge in Pacific Coastal Communities May 20; on demand Indigenous coastal Pacific communities have respected and protected their homelands’ ocean resources for thousands of years. Listen […]
“Nation to Nation” presents the history of the treaties that lie at the heart of the relationship between Indian Nations and the United States. The exhibition explores the development and legacy of U.S. and American Indian diplomacy from the colonial period through the present. This exhibition is also accompanied by the book, “Nation to Nation: […]
If you’ve ever crossed a suspension bridge, you’ve used Andean Indigenous technology. Open through June 27, “The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire” explores the foundations of the Inka Road in earlier Andean cultures, technologies that made building the road possible, the cosmology and political organization of the Inka world, and the legacy of the […]
If you’ve ever crossed a suspension bridge, you’ve used Andean Indigenous technology. Open through June 27, “The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire” explores the foundations of the Inka Road […]
How did American Indians become national and commercial symbols? Pervasive, powerful, at times demeaning, the images, names and stories in “Americans” highlight the ways in which American Indians have been part of the nation’s identity since before the United States was founded. The exhibition surrounds visitors with images, delves into three historic stories important to […]
(USA, 2017, 70. min.) Director: George Colburn Follow the return of six Navajo Code Talkers to the five Pacific Island sites where their unbreakable secret code, based on the unwritten […]
May 29–31; on demand americanindian.si.edu/online-programs (USA, 2017, 70. min.) Director: George Colburn Follow the return of six Navajo Code Talkers to the five Pacific Island sites where their unbreakable secret code, based on the unwritten Navajo language, helped US forces overcome Japanese expansion in the Pacific theater during World War II. The code was […]
June 14; on demand americanindian.si.edu/online-programs Objects decorated with American flag designs were incorporated into Native art in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, objects adorned with the flag usually signify that a family member has served in the military. Watch Emil Her Many Horses (Oglala Lakota), museum curator and historian, as he […]
How does identity influence activism? Many tribal nations have always recognized multiple genders and those who possess both male and female spirits. Native people who identify as more than one gender or possessing both spirits sometimes refer to themselves as Two Spirit. In celebration of Pride Month, hear from Indigenous youth working in the fields […]
Thursday, June 17; 4 p.m. Free, registration required https://smithsonian.zoom.us/webinar/register/3116188639750/WN_VcOVur0fRaS1_R53Oq1Zyg How does identity influence activism? Many tribal nations have always recognized multiple genders and those who possess both male and female spirits. Native people who identify as more than one gender or possessing both spirits sometimes refer to themselves as Two Spirit. In celebration […]
Sunday, June 27; 4 p.m. americanindian.si.edu/online-programs (Canada, 2020, 105 min.) Director: Loretta Todd (Cree/Métis) Based on the novel by award-winning author Eden Robinson (Haisla/Heiltsuk), Monkey Beach is a supernatural coming-of-age story that layers tragedy, humor and redemption. Lisa Hill (Grace Dove) reunites with her Haisla family in Kitamaat Village and realizes she is meant to save […]
In partnership with The Americas Film Festival New York, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian presents Monkey Beach as the closing film of the 2021 festival. In bringing Eden Robinson’s beloved novel to the screen, Loretta Todd offers a modern epic underpinned by themes that have long defined heroic journeys. Todd’s first feature […]
Native Americans created and used many shapes, designs, colors, and materials as an expression of their cultures and identities. Native art designs became a way to communicate tribal and family traditions and individual artistic skill and expression. These art forms have adapted over time and ensure that future generations continue traditions and reinforce tribal identity. […]
Playing games is an important tradition shared by all ages in numerous Native communities. Many games are designed to build strength in both body and spirit through exercise, group cooperation, and practicing important skills such as hand-eye coordination. Games are an integral part of Native community life, they connect communities and teach cultural values, history, […]
Indigenous Peoples’ Curriculum Day and Virtual Teach-In Indigenous Land: Rights, Relationships and Responsibility Saturday, Sept. 25, 12:30 p.m.–3 p.m. ET Registration cost is $10 https://www.teachingforchange.org/2021-indigenous-peoples-teach-in The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and Teaching for Change host a day of online conversation, curriculum sharing and ideas exchange. The museum education experts, Teaching for Change […]
Summer Virtual Field Trip: Bison - One Stop Shopping Tuesdays through Aug. 31, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET. 30 mins. Free, advance registration is required https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/student-programs/virtual-field-trips/ The American bison—or buffalo, as it is also called—is one of the most significant animals for many American Indian nations. It was critical to the survival of those […]
The Other Slavery: Histories of Indian Bondage from New Spain to the Southwestern United States Sept. 24–27, on demand americanindian.si.edu Stories of enslaved Indigenous peoples have often been absent from the […]
Oct. 28, On demand americanindian.si.edu/calendar To celebrate Día de los Muertos, the museum will showcase two unique Day of the Dead traditions: figural sugar work and papier-mâché arts. The Mondragón family are skilled sugar workers known for their sugar animals and the most popular symbol of Día de los Muertos: the sugar skull. They come […]
Nov. 12–18, on demand americanindian.si.edu/calendar The National Museum of the American Indian’s Native Cinema Showcase is an annual celebration of the best in Native film. This year focuses on Native people boldly asserting themselves through language, healing, building community, and a continued relationship with the land. Activism lies at the heart of all these stories. […]
Watch members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), both of Massachusetts, as they share their culture and history in a virtual celebration of food, art, traditional stories, and film. The event features a talk by Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) on the […]
Public Events Calendar April - May 2022 New in New York City Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe Open through Sept. 11 View this major retrospective of the Yanktonai Dakota artist’s work. One of the 20th century’s most innovative Native American painters, Oscar Howe (1915–1983) challenged stereotypes and created pathways for Native painters. His […]
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is now open every day. Look for the QR codes and enjoy a free tour with new bilingual (English-Spanish) audio guides, which can […]
National Museum of the American Indian To Dedicate National Native American Veterans Memorial Nov. 11 Ceremony Will Be Part of Weekend-long Event To Honor Native Veterans The Smithsonian’s National Museum of […]
From water scarcity to floods and erosion, Native nations are addressing climate change across Indian Country. During the Living Earth Festival, join the museum for a weekend of conversations, demonstrations, and artmaking to learn how Indigenous communities are stepping forward with aggressive plans to protect their ways of life. Throughout the weekend, visitors can hear […]
Saturday, May 27, 2 p.m. https://americanindian.si.edu/events/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D166293693 Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b72vxs9ccd6zbsj/CorridorFour_01.jpg?dl=0 Corridor Four challenges the image of the American hero in a heartfelt portrait of 9/11 first responder Isaac Ho‘opi‘i (Native Hawaiian) as he works […]
Saturday and Sunday, October 28–29, 10 AM – 5 PM Free | National Mall Bring the whole family to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to participate in […]
