Native American Resources Provided by Utah Museums

Educational Cultural Resources Provided by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums

• Are there museums I can visit to learn more about Native Americans? 
• Where can I take my students to introduce them to tribal nations within Utah? 
• Where can I go to gain a deeper understanding of the past and present cultural ways of Indigenous communities?

These are a few of the questions we have been asked by teachers. We offer the following places as excellent museum destinations to explore and gain more understanding of not only the eight sovereign nations in Utah but also the 574 federally recognized tribal nations in the United States. Our team has visited each one listed below and we give two thumbs up to each one of them. Enjoy!

Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts: View a Curated Native Gallery

The Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts has a gallery devoted to Native American work and a long-term commitment to building that collection, which is rotated to assure preservation. The exhibit at the Chase Home features work made by local Utah artists. The artists represent the state’s American Indian, rural, occupational, and ethnic communities. They recently purchased a new Ute cradleboard. The Native Gallery is on the main floor.

The Native Gallery at the Chase Home has a collection representing Utah tribes and works created by Utah Native artists. These are spectacular works, including over a hundred items! A significant number of items were donated by the Holiday Black family, skilled weavers from the Four Corners area of Utah. Unfortunately, the cradleboard is NOT currently on exhibit. You might want to think about having Courtney, our collections manager, do an online PD for teachers so they can access the photos and they know what can be virtually shared with their students. Also, I don't know if they even know about Willow Stories, the Navajo basket traveling exhibition Fletcher takes to schools, museums, and libraries with reasonable security. 

Utah Museum of Natural History: Find Native Artifacts & Contemporary Art 

The Utah Museum of Natural History also has a significant collection of Native American works, including footwear from the Fremont, baskets, and other cultural artifacts. They frequently host events specifically to feature Native artists. During their most recent market day for Native artists, they featured 35 artists from various tribes selling a variety of works of arts in diverse mediums. Their fifth-floor exhibition space is ONLY about Utah's Indigenous history and showcases the work of many artists, including deceased as well as current, contemporary artists.

The Utah Museum of Fine Art: Special Exhibits Featuring Native Work 

The Utah Museum of Fine Art has a significant Native American collection, addressing the works of artists both past and present. They also have special exhibits from time to time. In 2022, their exhibit on air quality included Native artists speaking to their concerns about air quality, uranium poisoning, and radioactive tailings. 

The Marriot Library: Photos of Native American Indians by Edward Curtis

The Marriott Library at the University of Utah houses an immense collection of photos of American Indians by Edward Curtis. Like all professional museums, their collections rotate to preserve and prevent deterioration.

Bring a museum to you!

Lastly, you can sign up to have a traveling exhibit come to your school. Visit https://artsandmuseums.utah.gov/traveling-exhibitions/ to learn more about how to register. We recommend Willow Stories, the Navajo basket traveling exhibit, and Navajo Children: Weaving the Future: https://artsandmuseums.utah.gov/navajo-children-weaving-the-future/