|
The museum was founded by Mary Cabot Wheelwright, a wealthy
woman from Boston, and Hastiin Klah, a Navajo medicine man.
Built in 1937, the museum is shaped like an eight-sided
Navajo hooghan. Changing exhibitions feature historic and
contemporary Native American art and culture, with an emphasis
on Southwestern tribes.
The Wheelwright Museum's collection, which is not on display,
originally focused on Navajo ceremony; today it includes
textiles, jewelry, baskets, pottery, Navajo chant recordings,
and two-dimensional art created by members of many American
Indian tribes. Smaller galleries spotlight individual artists
or contain items related to the main show. Many free events
are held at the museum throughout the year, including storytelling,
children's reading hours, lectures, docent-led gallery tours,
and talks about Native American art.
|
