Native Arts and History Outreach Project

Students participate in a program on the museum's Avanyu Heritage TrailInitiated in January 2001, The Native Arts and History Project serves the underserved Native American children and teachers in Santa Fe county and surrounding areas by offering resources and education staff for collaborative school site projects. The purpose of the program is to develop projects and curriculum of cultural significance and relevancy to the Southwest.

The project began with a comprehensive survey of 12 public and private schools that serve Native children. The result of that research was the development of two programs that drew upon the resources of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, yet focused on themes developed by the schools' instructors.

Teachers from the museum's education department offer on-site mentoring and curriculum implementation and work directly with the children in the pilot projects. Museum resources, such as the photo archives and teaching collections of the Laboratory of Anthropology are made available to participating schools. Further collaboration with the Laboratory of Anthropology provides curatorial expertise and culturally sensitive interpretation.

For more information about the Native Arts & History Project, or to find out how you can participate, please contact 505/476-1271.