Heard Museum: Explore American Indian art and culture
Published: Jun 17, 2009
Founded in 1929, the Heard Museum has grown from its humble and small beginning to span three valley locations with a total collection of more than 200,000 square feet of Native American art. Driven by a mission to educate patrons about the heritage, art and living culture of Native people, the Heard has become recognized internationally as a leader in American Indian art and culture.
The Heard Museum offers art galleries, hands-on exhibits and learning activities, festivals, educational programs, live performances, tours and much more. Kids will find many educational programs and workshops tailor-made for them. Weekend workshops promote learning through activities such as making clay desert landscapes and beaded art, participating in a gallery scavenger hunt and more.
The museum also offers visitors the chance to hear personal stories directly from American Indian artists and experience the art from the artists’ perspectives.
The three Heard locations are in Phoenix, North Scottsdale and Surprise. All of the locations feature long-term and changing exhibits as well as a museum shop, galleries and garden areas.
At more than 130,000 square feet, the Phoenix location is home to a signature exhibit, Home: Native People in the Southwest. The exhibit features more than 2,000 pieces of art including jewelry, pottery, baskets, beadwork and a collection of 500 Hopi katsina dolls. Visit the website for a complete list of exhibits and events at the Phoenix location.
The North Scottsdale location offers a vast variety of lectures, speaker series and public programs. You can enjoy a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres from the Heard Museum Café while attending one of the speaker presentations. Visit the Heard in Scottsdale at The Summit at Scottsdale, 32633 N. Scottsdale Road. Click here for more information about the North Scottsdale offerings and exhibits.
At Heard West in Surprise, you can experience the ongoing exhibit, Our Stories: American Indian Culture and Art in Arizona. This exhibit focuses on the cultural diversity of American Indians in Arizona and includes traditional Native art work as well as contemporary pieces. The Surprise location also features changing exhibits, lectures and other events. See all that the Heard West has to offer at 16126 N. Civic Center Plaza in Surprise. Visit the website for more details.
The Heard Museum, founded by pioneer Phoenix settlers Dwight B. and Maie Bartlett Heard, offers a variety of membership options to patrons that include free admission, guest passes, discounts, advanced purchasing on festival and event tickets and more. Click here for more details on becoming a Heard member; membership starts at $60.
- by Jennifer Pruett, Phoenix Reporter for HelloMetro
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