• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

  • Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Groups of 10 or More
    • Visitor Information
    • Events
    • Dining at the Museum
    • Celebrate at the Museum
    • Event Venue Rental
    • Shop
    • Powdermill Nature Reserve
    • Join & Give
  • Exhibitions
  • Learn
    • Field Trips
    • Educator Information
    • Programs at the Museum
    • Bring the Museum to You
    • Guided Programs FAQ
    • Programs Online
    • Climate and Rural Systems Partnership
    • We Are Nature Podcast
  • Research
    • Scientific Sections
    • Science Stories
    • Science Videos
    • Senior Science & Research Staff
    • Museum Library
    • Science Seminars
    • Scientific Publications
    • Specimen and Artifact Identification
  • About
    • Mission & Commitments
    • Directors Team
    • Museum History
  • Tickets
  • Shop

Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians

  • Third Floor

Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians explores four distinct Native American cultures in an exhibition organized around their relationships with the natural world. The hall explores the contemporary cultures of societies living in four major geographical areas: Tlingit of the Northwest Coast, Hopi of the Southwest, Lakota of the Plains, and Iroquois of the Northeast. Explore a large collection of Hopi Katsina dolls, touch a real buffalo, grind corn, or sit in a miniature planetarium that tells the story of how the stars got in to the heavens.

Visitors can view nearly 1,000 historical and contemporary artifacts including artwork and traditional garments. The museum partnered with approximately 50 Native people to develop Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians. Their historical and cultural knowledge, personal experiences and belongings, talents, artwork, guidance, and time has shaped the messages and impact of the hall.

The museum worked with Indigenous advisors to create this exhibit in the early 1990s. Indigenous people and cultures, just like our museum, are not stuck in time, but are living cultures, that are evolving and changing with the world around them. As a result some of the examples of “contemporary” culture, have become outdated, and it also includes some outdated themes, views and interpretations. We are working to reimagine this exhibit in today’s environment and with more self-representation by Indigenous people.

The current exhibit focuses on four distinct cultures within four different geographical areas, which means that it leaves out hundreds of vibrant, living tribes and nations with their own unique traditions and wisdom to share. It may give the impression that there is one Indigenous culture, which is wrong.

There’s no one term to refer to the many Indigenous cultures of North America. While it is widely accepted to use the terms “Native American” or “American Indian,” it is more appropriate to not use general terminology, and instead use specific tribal designations. This exhibit was named with input  from our Indigenous advisors, and in step with other museums at the time, including the National Museum of the American Indian.

Meet our Anthropologist and Archaeologist

Amy Covell-Murthy

Amy Covell-Murthy, MA

Collection Manger of Archaeology, Section Head

Kristin Gaugler

Kristina Gaugler, M.A.

Collection Manager of Anthropology

Learn about the Anthropology Collection at the Museum

The anthropology collection, the Section of Anthropology and Archaeology, contains major research collections of over 100,000 ethnological and historical specimens and over 1.5 million archaeological artifacts.

Learn about the Section of Anthropology and Archaeology

Blogs about Anthropology

  • Celebrating Women in the Natural History Art Collection

    Celebrating Women in the Natural History Art Collection

    by Olivia Buehler Within the collections of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, one may be surprised to find more than the …
  • Tribal Museums Day and Promoting Indigenous Authors

    Tribal Museums Day and Promoting Indigenous Authors

    by Amy L. Covell-Murthy  The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022, making it the oldest non-profit serving …
  • Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2023

    Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2023

    by Amy Covell-Murthy Indigenous Peoples’ Day is observed in the City of Pittsburgh alongside Columbus Day, and I would like to suggest …
  • Staff Favorites: Dolls in the Museum’s Care

    Staff Favorites: Dolls in the Museum’s Care

    Barbie size white sweater, hat, and ear muffs

sidebar

About

  • Mission & Commitments
  • Directors Team
  • Museum History

Get Involved

  • Volunteer
  • Membership
  • Carnegie Discoverers
  • Donate
  • Employment
  • Events

Bring a Group

  • Groups of 10 or More
  • Birthday Parties at the Museum
  • Field Trips

Powdermill

  • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Powdermill Field Trips
  • Powdermill Staff
  • Research at Powdermill

More Information

  • Image Permission Requests
  • Science Stories
  • Accessibility
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact
  • Visitor Policies
One of the Four Carnegie Museums | © Carnegie Institute | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Accessibility
Rad works here logo