ABOUT US: Our History. Our Culture.
Truly, a dream come true! With strong support from the Tribal Council of The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, The Museum project was on its way in 1974! The total cost of the museum project was $7,628,900. Grand opening was celebrated on March 13, 1993.
“The Big Picture”
The Museum’s Curatorial department has one of the largest and most complete artifact collections of any Native American museum. Some of the highlights are:
- One of the most exquisite collections of Plateau Native American artifacts in the country.
- “Technically one of the best unified exhibition plans in any museum in America,” says James Nason, Curator of New World Ethnology, Burke Museum, University of Washington, commenting on the permanent exhibit gallery. It details the culture and history of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
- Teaching and learning traditional and contemporary arts, such as basket making and beading, keeps Warm Springs culture and heritage alive. Throughout the year, The Museum hosts a variety of public and education workshops, live demonstrations and arts, history and cultural programs featuring Warm Springs Tribal members and Native peoples from other tribes, Native and non-Native arts professionals, and others.
- The Museum’s Archives holds 5,000 photographs dating from the 1850s to the present. The library includes important Warm Springs Tribal documents and many books on a wide range of subjects on Native history, art and culture. There are currently plans for The Museum to accession The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ Culture and Heritage Program’s Archive.
