MIP celebrates the volunteers who have helped shape the museum over the years and invites new volunteers to join the mission, support museum growth, and help visitors connect with the Indigenous Cultures of the Southwest.

The Tour de France is known as one of the world’s ultimate endurance tests. But who are the Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous cyclists who have reached cycling’s biggest stage?

Powwows have a connection to the 4th of July, but not in the simple patriotic way many people expect. For many Native communities, Independence Day became a way to keep gathering during an era when federal policy tried to suppress Native ceremonies, dances, and religious life.

Montana’s Indian Education for All is the only constitutional promise requiring Native American history, culture, and contributions in schools

Learn how to handle, clean, display, and store Native pottery, jewelry, figurines, baskets, beadwork, textiles, and other cultural works without damaging their materials or meaning.

Akimel O’odham, Tohono O’odham, and Western Apache foodways show how Indigenous communities developed distinct approaches to farming, gathering, and thriving in the Southwest.

Donicio Sánchez’s life offers a deeper look into the artistic and cultural legacy of San Ildefonso Pueblo. More than a collaborator in pottery, he was a vital link between generations, contributing to a tradition that shaped Indigenous art in the Southwest. His story reveals the people behind the craft—honoring family, identity, and the enduring strength of Pueblo culture.

Once the largest Indigenous nation in northwest Mexico, the Opata people endured colonization, devastating disease, and forced assimilation — yet their story never ended. Through figures like Francisca Acuña and living traditions such as the fariseo ceremony, Opata identity persists across Sonora and southern Arizona, hidden in plain sight. The Museum of Indigenous People is proud to share it.

Dr. Lois Ellen Frank (Kiowa), an award-winning chef, scholar, and educator, has helped bring Native American cuisine into the national conversation. Through research, cookbooks, and teaching, she highlights traditional Indigenous ingredients such as corn, beans, squash, and wild rice while exploring the cultural knowledge behind Native food traditions and the growing movement to reclaim Indigenous food sovereignty.

Prescott, Arizona, is a place where Indigenous history is not just preserved but lived and celebrated. As you explore this vibrant city, you will find a rich tapestry of Native American culture woven into its art, history, and community events. This guide will help you discover the top things to do in Prescott, Arizona, with a focus on authentic Indigenous experiences that honor the traditions and voices of the Southwest.

Unveiling the Piipaash (Maricopa): A Journey Through History, Language, and Culture” with Kelly Washington

Join the Museum of Indigenous People in Prescott and help preserve Native American culture while gaining access to a vibrant community of learning and discovery. Members enjoy free admission, discounts at the Trading Post gift shop, access to the museum’s research library, and invitations to classes, lectures, and cultural programs led by Indigenous artists, historians, and elders. By becoming a member, you support the preservation of Indigenous art, traditions, and stories f

Two mysterious bighorn sheep effigies discovered in Prescott, Arizona in 1935 continue to spark questions about the Indigenous cultures who created them. Now cared for by the Museum of Indigenous People, these rare cultural resource materials invite visitors to explore ancient connections, ceremonial traditions, and the ongoing research that helps uncover the deep history of the Southwest.

Indigenous living culture displays at the Museum of Indigenous People in Prescott, Arizona, invite visitors to experience Native history as vibrant and evolving. Through traditional pottery, textiles, contemporary art, and community events guided by Native voices, the museum presents Indigenous culture as living and resilient. Each exhibit reflects authentic perspectives rooted in the Southwest, fostering understanding, respect, and connection.

Visitors to the Museum of Indigenous People in Prescott, Arizona often stop to take photos in front of the mural “We Are Still Here” by Dustin Lopez (Diné / Laguna Pueblo). The museum welcomes Indigenous and Native American visitors from across many Nations, with free admission for Native visitors, museum members, and children under 13. It is a place to connect with living Indigenous culture, history, and community.

Downtown Prescott recently welcomed the Road to 250 Arizona Traveling Museum and Liberty Bell Exhibit, bringing history to life through interactive displays and community engagement. The event opened with a land acknowledgment by Manuel Lucero of the Museum of Indigenous People, honoring the region’s deep Indigenous roots. As the first stop on a 15-county journey, Prescott set the tone for a statewide celebration of shared history and diverse voices.

Leon Grant (1925–2015) of the Omaha Tribe helped create a safe place for Native Americans arriving in Phoenix during the 1940s. In 1947 he helped establish the Phoenix Indian Center, the first nonprofit urban center of its kind in the United States. What began as a small meeting place became an important intertribal community hub where Indigenous people could find jobs, housing support, and connection while living away from their homelands.

The Museum of Indigenous People will host the Mata Ortiz Pottery Show & Sale on May 2–3, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Visitors can meet featured artists, watch live pottery demonstrations and firings, and purchase finely crafted works rooted in centuries-old traditions from northern Chihuahua, Mexico. Select freshly fired pieces will be auctioned, offering a rare opportunity to acquire one-of-a-kind contemporary pottery.

Severa Gutierrez-Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo was a master ceramic artist and matriarch of a renowned family of potters. Active for nearly 60 years, her work and firing techniques helped inspire the revival of polished blackware pottery. Though often overlooked during her lifetime, her artistry and influence continue through generations of Pueblo potters.

As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we also remember a lesser-known chapter of his legacy — his solidarity with Native communities. In Why We Can’t Wait, King condemned the nation’s founding injustices toward Indigenous peoples, naming the genocide and racial hierarchy embedded in American history. His commitment to justice extended beyond the African-American struggle. In the late 1950s, when the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama faced discriminatory school policie