Blog

Indigenous Peoples’ Day has particular meaning at MIP. Explore the history of the observance, the museum’s Smoki past, the 1990 Hopi protest, and the relationships helping shape the museum today.

The Navajo Art and Rug Fall Auction is a two-day, live and in-person event hosted by the Museum of Indigenous People in Prescott, Arizona, on Sept. 11-12, 2026. The event features Indigenous art and cultural works on Friday and Navajo rugs and related works on Saturday. Admission and bidder registration are free.

Hopi artist Abel Nash uses watercolor, family pottery designs, and cultural symbolism to carry generations of knowledge into the present.

The Museum of Indigenous People’s 2026 Annual Backpack Drive prepared 950 backpacks and supply bags for Native students in Navajo Nation, Hopi, and San Carlos Apache communities.

Diné painter and botanist Tracy Tohannie brings horses, family life, and northern Arizona landscapes to life through vivid color, expressive lines, and the teaching of Beauty Way.

Hopi artist Filmer Kewanyama transformed his painting Spiritual Life into a large mural inside the Museum of Indigenous People’s HOOP Room. Through water, corn, pueblo architecture, color, and visual storytelling, Hopi Spiritual Life presents a contemporary Hopi artist’s perspective on culture, community, spirituality, and the natural world.

CONTRIBUTIONS closes July 31, 2026, at the Museum of Indigenous People. Explore the Indigenous technologies, food systems, ideas, and living knowledge highlighted throughout the exhibit.

Some of the largest works inside the Museum of Indigenous People are easy to miss unless visitors look up. Diné Storm Pattern weavings hang above the exhibits, bringing generations of artistry and cultural knowledge into the museum’s historic stone galleries.

Museum of Indigenous People Executive Director Manuel Lucero, Cherokee, was invited to provide a blessing ceremony at Prescott’s World’s Oldest Rodeo®. The moment honored Indigenous heritage, the history of the land, and the community connections that continue to shape Prescott today.

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.

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.

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.

The Museum of Indigenous People was honored to receive an $11,550 one-time grant from 100 Men Who Care of Yavapai County. The award followed a Prescott community giving event where local nonprofits shared their work and attendees voted to support one organization.

From the Trail of Tears to the Indian Citizenship Act to Minneapolis streets in 2026, the question asked of Native people has never really changed: do you belong here? The Museum of Indigenous Perspectives traces the unbroken pattern and explains why cultural integrity is the only honest answer.

Hopi/Tewa potters Dot and Emerson Ami demonstrating traditional pottery techniques at the Museum of Indigenous People. Live pottery firing demonstration by Native artists using traditional methods.

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.

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

Mary Golda Ross (Cherokee, 1908–2008) was the first known Native American woman to work as an aerospace engineer. As a founding engineer of Lockheed’s secretive Skunk Works division, she contributed to early research on satellites and interplanetary flight paths to Mars and Venus. Her work helped shape the foundations of the U.S. space program and continues to inspire Native scientists today.

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.