goSmithsonian - February 2008 - (Page 40) THE BASICS HOURS: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed December 25. ADDRESS: Fourth Street and Independence Avenue, SW. For information about the NewYork site, see p. 28. SMITHSONIAN TEL: 202.633-1000 (voice/tape); 202.633-5285 (TTY) WEB: www.AmericanIndian.si.edu METRO: Plaza National Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian, which opened in 2004, houses one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of American Indian art and cultural artifacts. The museum’s sweeping curvilinear architecture, its indigenous landscaping and its exhibitions, all designed in collaboration with the tribes and communities from across the hemisphere, combine to give visitors a sense and spirit of Native America. Tips for Getting Started… • Don’t miss the engaging film by the acclaimed CheyenneArapaho director Chris Eyre, “A Thousand Roads” (43 minutes, in the first floor Rasmuson Theater at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.). Recommended for ages 12 and up. ●●●● L ’Enfant (ORANGE, BLUE, YELLOW AND GREEN LINES) USE MARYLAND AVE./ SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS EXIT • Meet in the Potomac Atrium on the first floor for daily tours of the exhibitions led by Native cultural interpreters. Tour times are Monday through Friday at 1:30 and 3 p.m. and weekends at 11 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m. Groups of ten or more should make reservations at 202-633-6644, or NMAI-Groupreservations@si.edu. pick up a copy of our free Family Activity Guide. • For families with young children, stop by the Welcome Desk to WHAT’S GOING ON: The permanent exhibitions showcase some 8,000 objects from the museum’s world-renowned collection. Through the interactive multimedia exhibitions, 24 tribes and Native communities give voice to their own histories and stories. “Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World” (fourth floor) is a guide to the many Native worldviews and philosophies. Organized around the seasons of the solar year, the exhibition highlights the Denver March Powwow, the Day of the Dead, the North American Indigenous Games and other celebrations that bring Native peoples together. “Our Peoples: Giving Voice to Our Histories” (fourth floor) examines how disease, guns, bibles and governments affected indigenous peoples after 1491. “Our Lives: Contemporary Life and Identities” (third floor) introduces the cultural, social, linguistic and political issues of Native people and communities in the 21st century. From Identity by Design: A Cheyenne three-hide dress and accessories were handcrafted by Rebecca and Jon Brady of Oklahoma. “Window on Collections: Many Hands, Many Voices” (third and fourth floors) showcases more than 3,500 artifacts including animalthemed figurines and objects, beadwork, containers, dolls, peace medals, projectile points and qeros (cups for ceremonial drinking). “Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake” (second floor) provides an overview of the continued Native presence in what is now Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. In the Changing Exhibitions Gallery (third floor) through Aug. 3, is “Identity by Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native 40 www.goSmithsonian.com http://www.AmericanIndian.si.edu http://www.goSmithsonian.com
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