The internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the myriad cultures and art of American Indians of the Southwest. Located on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, the museum hosts 200,000 visitors a year and "provides Indian artists with a wonderful home that will excite and inspire visitors from around the world," according to Arizona Highways. The museum's 11 spacious exhibit galleries and beautiful outdoor courtyards feature outstanding traditional and contemporary American Indian art. The Heard Museum Shop offers an array of authentic Native art, while the Berlin Gallery features outstanding contemporary fine art for purchase. The Cafe whips up tasty Southwest-inspired salads, sandwiches and soups; visit the Cantina for gourmet coffee drinks and snacks.
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Proximity
Distance from Downtown Phoenix (in miles)
:
2
Distance from Sky Harbor International Airport (in miles)
:
8
This exhibit features families of Hopi potters, who often learn pottery techniques from elders and share designs. These superlative artists truly create elegance from earth. Potters with artworks on display in the exhibit include Nampeyo, Helen Naha and Joy Navasie, among others.
The Heard goes beyond the Southwest in our Plains art exhibit. Ledger book drawings began in the late 19th century when, as a legacy of warfare, the U.S. government was placing Native people on reservations. The tribes that were relocated were largely Plains tribes, and many of their cultures had traditions of recording events on animal hides using natural pigments. Confined to a reservation or faced with imprisonment, the Indians turned to the materials they had available to them - ledger books and pencils, provided by traders and government agents - to record events and past achievements in their lives. The tradition has continued through the years as contemporary artists create stories and scenes inspired by these artists from long ago. This collection includes drawings and a few hide paintings.
In addition to being a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and playwright, N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa) is an artist who has illustrated many of his books of poetry. This unique exhibit pairs Momaday's paintings and monoprints with selections from his writing to create a powerful blend of the two.
Explore chocolate, chili and cochineal dye, which will be celebrated through both art and special programs during this exhibit (including a giant cacao tree in the gallery!). These three products of the Western Hemisphere have added beauty and zest to the lives of people around the world. The merits of chocolate and chili should be at once recognizable.
Cochineal is a red dye made from insects that feed on cactus from the genus Opuntia, and has been prized throughout the world since the 15th century. Cochineal was used to dye bayeta cloth, and the yarns of the cloth became prized fibers for Navajo weavers. The rich crimson dye also colored the paint used in Hispanic retablo and bulto art. These three contributions to the world are in the vein of recent popular books 1491 and 1493 by Charles C. Mann.
The Heard's collection of Navajo pictorial textiles runs rich and deep. The many ways in which the weavers' creativity and imagination have been woven with technical mastery will be showcased. Many weavers draw on important imagery from the Navajo culture, while others work in a popular folk-art style that infuses images from the modern world into a distinctively Navajo perspective.
The Heard Museum is proud to be part of the Blue Star Museum Initiative! The program offers free admission to the Heard for all active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 28, through Labor Day, September 3, 2012. The program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card, or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active-duty military members (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), National Guard and Reserve members, and up to five immediate family members.
The Heard Museum is thanking K-12 teachers from Arizona schools with a special offer in June. During Teacher Appreciation Month, the Heard will give teachers with valid school ID a 50% discount off the adult admission price of $15. This offer is good for the teacher and one guest. The Heard hosts free tours for schools, so this is a great way for teachers to learn more about how a visit to the Heard can benefit their students. The museum's educational programming meets Arizona State Standards for American Indian culture and history instruction, and the museum is also a great place for kids of all ages to learn more about the rich artistic expressions of Native peoples.
One of Arizona’s most significant cultural events, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, the state's largest, continues to combine innovative new artists and activities with the timeless traditions of the Southwest. The Fair is a world-acclaimed festival that draws nearly 20,000 visitors and more than 700 of the nation’s most outstanding and successful American Indian artists. Among the guests are thousands of collectors from across the country who arrive early to be the first to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork like jewelry, pottery, baskets, katsina dolls, textiles, fine art and more.
Enjoy the art, music and dance performances, the Canyon records music stage and an array of food options including frybread. Plus, admission includes the museum's 10 exhibit galleries.
