Museum of Indian Arts and Culture | September 2025

This summer, MIAC has continued to engage thousands of visitors through its vibrant programming, exhibitions, and community-focused events. Public programs included Arts Alive! workshops for children and families, performances as part of the Native Dance Series, and curator-led tours of Makowa: The Worlds Above Us, the museum’s major new exhibition exploring Indigenous sky knowledge. August highlights included the 4th Annual Youth Hoop Dance Competition on Milner Plaza, Breakfast with the Curators programs, and Native Narratives lectures featuring Indigenous artists and community leaders.

These programs reflect MIAC’s ongoing commitment to cultural accessibility, education, and collaboration with Native communities. In FY25 alone, the museum welcomed more than 37,000 visitors, served nearly 3,000 children on-site, and hosted 21 tribal communities for in-person visits. Three major exhibitions opened, and 44 Indigenous presenters were featured in lectures and workshops.

Looking ahead, MIAC’s fundraising priority is the Tribal Consultation Fund, a new initiative launched in partnership with the Museum of New Mexico Foundation to support Indigenous leadership and collaboration in museum practice. This fund will cover travel and honoraria for Tribal representatives advising on collections care, repatriation, exhibition development, and educational programming.

These consultations are essential for ethical stewardship, NAGPRA compliance, and the centering of Native voices in every aspect of MIAC’s work. A single consultation visit can require more than $30,000 in support. With your help, MIAC can host more frequent, meaningful, and culturally respectful consultations that shape the museum’s exhibitions, documentation, and interpretation. The fund also strengthens long-term institutional capacity through staff training and deeper community partnerships.

We are deeply grateful for your support and invite you to invest in this vital initiative. Together, we can ensure MIAC remains a national leader in community-centered museum practice. To donate to the Tribal Consultation Fund, visit museumfoundation.org/give-miac.