Museum of Northern Arizona near the Grand Canyon

Many who travel to the Grand Canyon area are interested in the unique Native American cultures, and there is no better place to experience it than the Museum of Northern Arizona. The museum features award winning exhibits and programs, all while remaining true to their mission of preserving the regions history and art. With humble beginnings in 1928, the museum now serves over 100,000 people a year and plays a vital role as interpreter of the Colorado Plateau.

History

In 1928 a small group, led by local Flagstaff citizens Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton and Dr. Harold S. Colton, decided they wanted to start the Museum of Northern Arizona, which is close to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. Their goal was to preserve the culture and history of the region, as well as educate people about science and art. Originally they only had a few Native American artifacts, but now they have the largest collection for 250 miles. The campus for the museum is nearly 225 acres, where people of all ages can enjoy a forested and dynamic community.

Collection Information

The museum houses around 5 million objects throughout its four collection categories. Their anthropology collection is renowned for having a significant amount of Hopi and Navajo jewelry, dolls, baskets, and other culturally significant objects. Smaller collections in the museum represent the Apache, Zuni, and even the Pai. Their biology collection features the Walter B. McDougall Herbarium that has exhibits on local animal and plant specimens. A collection of Fine Art comprises itself of all the sculptures, paintings, and etchings. Many pieces of artwork are by renowned Native American artists. A geology collection and a Library make up the rest of the museum.

Program Information

Programs offered by the museum allow visitors to do more than just look at exhibits. They have offered programs before such as the Venture program, which took travelers out on expeditions that lasted from a day up to a week to learn about the natural wonders and cultures. Classes offered through their Discovery program focus on everything from natural science to history. Everyone from three years of age and upwards can take part in these courses.

Research

One of the core reasons for the Museum of Northern Arizona's existence is research, and throughout its history, they have conducted original research on the cultural diversity of the region. The goal is to increase the museums knowledge about the science and art, giving visitors a better picture of how the Colorado Plateau developed over time. Each collection category has a separate team of researchers working within it to extend the number of exhibits in the area.