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.

The Museum of Indigenous People in Prescott is part of a citywide accessibility program offering EnChroma glasses for visitors with color blindness. These special lenses help people distinguish colors more clearly, allowing them to experience Indigenous art, pottery, textiles, and exhibits with a new perspective. Learn how Prescott’s cultural institutions are working together to make museums more inclusive for everyone.

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.

The Contributions exhibit at the Museum of Indigenous People highlights the lasting impact of Indigenous contributions to governance, technology, philosophy, and civic life. From the consensus leadership of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to innovations still used today, Indigenous contributions shaped early American democracy and continue to influence modern society in ways often overlooked. On view February 13–July 31, 2026, in Prescott, Arizona.

The roots of American democracy extend deeper than many textbooks acknowledge. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace and model of unity among sovereign nations influenced early colonial leaders and helped shape foundational principles of federal governance. Discover this story and more at CONTRIBUTIONS, an exhibit exploring the Indigenous ideas that continue to shape the modern world.

Around 1900, a young member of the Chemehuevi people was photographed holding a coyote, an animal deeply woven into Native American belief systems. The Chemehuevi, a Southern Paiute people of the Mojave Desert, survived for generations through mobility, deep ecological knowledge, and cultural resilience. Like the coyote itself, their story is one of adaptation and survival in challenging environments.

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’s journey is one of reflection, accountability, and renewal. In a recent Flagstaff Business News feature, Executive Director Manuel Lucero discusses the museum’s evolution — from acknowledging its complex origins to strengthening partnerships with Native communities. The article highlights ongoing efforts to preserve Indigenous history while building a future centered on authenticity, education, and cultural integrity.

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

The “Rez Dogz” exhibit invited visitors to explore the cultural presence and symbolism of reservation dogs within Indigenous communities. Through photography and contemporary interpretation, the exhibition celebrated humor, resilience, and everyday life, offering a meaningful look at how storytelling and art reflect identity and community experience.

Museums have long shaped public understanding of Indigenous histories but who decides how those stories are told? This new research examines how Arizona institutions are confronting colonial legacies and shifting narrative power.

In a small 31-square-mile region south of Prescott, Arizona, archaeologists uncovered hundreds of rare prehistoric ceramic figurines—human and animal forms now linked to what became known as the Groom Creek Effigy Culture. Why they were made and why they were intentionally destroyed remains a mystery.

Hopi artist and Army veteran Filmer “Fil” Kewanyama blends ancestral tradition with contemporary expression to promote healing and peace. Drawing from Hopi ceremony and symbolism, his art reflects identity, resilience, and spiritual balance. After overcoming PTSD, he now shares creative healing with fellow veterans, using storytelling and visual expression to build connection and understanding.