National Mall (Washington, D.C.) National Museum of the American Indian

national museum of american indian seen north

the site on national mall opened in september 2004. fifteen years in making, first national museum in country dedicated exclusively native americans. five-story, 250,000-square-foot (23,000 m), curvilinear building clad in golden-colored kasota limestone designed evoke natural rock formations shaped wind , water on thousands of years.

the museum set in 4.25 acres (17,200 m)-site , surrounded simulated wetlands. museum’s east-facing entrance, prism window , 120-foot (37 m) high space contemporary native performances direct results of extensive consultations native peoples. similar heye center in lower manhattan, museum offers range of exhibitions, film , video screenings, school group programs, public programs , living culture presentations throughout year.

the museum’s architect , project designer canadian douglas cardinal (blackfoot); design architects gbqc architects of philadelphia , architect johnpaul jones (cherokee/choctaw). disagreements during construction led cardinal s being removed project, building retains original design intent. provided continued input during museum s construction. structural engineering firm chosen project severud associates.

interior view looking down toward entrance

the museum’s project architects jones & jones architects , landscape architects ltd. of seattle , smithgroup of washington, d.c., in association lou weller (caddo), native american design collaborative, , polshek partnership architects of new york city; ramona sakiestewa (hopi) , donna house (navajo/oneida) served design consultants. landscape architects jones & jones architects , landscape architects ltd. of seattle , edaw, inc., of alexandria, virginia.

waterfall rocks

in general, native americans have filled leadership roles in design , operation of museum , have aimed @ creating different atmosphere , experience museums of european , euro-american culture. donna e. house, navajo , oneida botanist supervised landscaping, has said, landscape flows building, , environment are. trees, rocks, water. , had part of museum. theme of organic flow reflected interior of museum, walls curving surfaces, no sharp corners.

the mitsitam native foods cafe divided native regional sections such northern woodlands, south america, northwest coast, meso-america, , great plains; museum has published mitisam cafe cookbook. native american groups not represented in café south eastern tribes such choctaw, chickasaw, cherokee , seminole, many of supported united states throughout tribes histories.