DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Quilt Along: Sit and Sew with Emma Alcazar
One-Time Events
Join Emma Alcazar (Chickasaw) and fellow Quilt Along participants in person for a screen-free afternoon of community and connection. Bring your quilt, at whatever stage it may be in, or any other sewing project. Hand-sewing only, no machines.
Note: Visitors are not allowed to bring scissors, sewing machines, irons, rotary cutters, and other sharp tools into the museum.
Registration is not required but is strongly encouraged to ensure there is enough seating for all participants. Register here!
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 1: Potomac Atrium. Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://nmai.swoogo.com/QALDCSitandSew. Categories: Celebrations. Demonstrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
For more info visit nmai.swoogo.com.
NY | Quilt Along: Sit and Sew with Margaret Wood
One-Time Events
Join Margaret Wood (Diné/Seminole) and fellow Quilt Along participants in person for a screen-free afternoon of community and connection. Bring your quilt, at whatever stage it may be in, or any other sewing project. Hand-sewing only, no machines.
Note: Visitors are not allowed to bring scissors, sewing machines, irons, rotary cutters, and other sharp tools into the museum.
Registration is not required but is strongly encouraged to ensure there is enough seating for all participants. Register here!
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: Diker Pavilion. Cost: FREE. Get Tickets/Register: https://nmai.swoogo.com/QALNYSitandSew. Categories: Celebrations. Demonstrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
For more info visit nmai.swoogo.com.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Closer Look: Stretching the Canvas
One-Time Events
Join curator Anya Montiel (Mestiza/Tohono O'odham descent) and artist Melissa Melero-Moose (Northern Paiute/Modoc) for an in-gallery conversation about select works in Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting, including Melero-Moose's own Access Denied (2020-2021, 27/689). The exhibition explores how American Indian art expanded after World War I and how Native painters began to advocate for themselves in a world that often ignored their talent.
Melissa Melero-Moose is a Northern Paiute enrolled with the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe with ties to Fort Bidwell Paiute and Modoc tribes. She is a mixed media painter whose imagery, with use of willow, pinenuts and earth, portrays abstractions of landscape and memory in her Great Basin home. Melissa holds a BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts and a Bachelor of Science from Portland State University, Oregon. She lives with her family in Northern Nevada working as a professional artist, curator for the Great Basin Native Artists Gallery and…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 4. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Stretching the Canvas: Ten Decades of Native Painting. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, October 22, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
One-Time Events
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time for commemorating our ancestors. Rather than a period of mourning, it is an occasion for celebrating with family—both living and dead—and honoring the cycle of life. Enjoy family-friendly activities throughout the day, including dance performances by Grupo los Tecuanes, making paper marigolds to be placed on a Catrina statue, and making papel picado (perforated paper decorations) with David Amorozo. Learn how pan de muerto (bread of the dead) is made with Neil Vargas, Jr. Learn about La Catrina and her joyful view of life and mortality by interacting with live Catrinas roaming the festival. Visitors are invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda (altar) or commemorate them by writing their names on a butterfly to attach to the memorial arch.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, LEVEL 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, 10:30 AM | Story TimeFamilies are invited to an interactive story time featuring the book Día de los Muertos by Roseanne Greenfield…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 1: Potomac Atrium and Level 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Performances. Celebrations. Kids & Families.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
NY | Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
One-Time Events
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time for honoring the cycle of life, and remembering our ancestors and those who have gone before us. Learn about the ofrenda (altar) and commemorate a loved one who has passed by leaving a photo or memento. Families can enjoy coloring activities and making paper marigolds and butterfly masks. Visitors of all ages can enjoy traditional dance performances by New York-based Aztec dance group Cetiliztli Nauhcampa. Performances begin at 12 PM and 3 PM.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS, Level 1: Hallway and Diker Pavilion, 12 PM and 3 PM | Dance Performances by Cetiliztli NauhcampaNew York-based Aztec dance group Cetiliztli Nauhcampa will present traditional dances around the community ofrenda to honor ancestors. 11 AM-4 PM | Ongoing Activities, Hands On: Paper MarigoldsMarigolds, or cempasúchitl, serve a special purpose during Día de los Muertos celebrations. Their petals are used to create a path between the cemetery and the family home. Make your own tissue-paper marigold to take…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: Diker Pavilion. Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Kids & Families. Performances.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Artful Evenings: "Water's Edge" with Artist Sky Hopinka
One-Time Events
Enjoy an artful evening that celebrates Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, and learn about the impact of the acclaimed Hoocąk artist and educator on filmmaker and visual artist Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Indians).
Sky Hopinka’s photo and video art—including This is a mnemonic for Truman Lowe in the museum’s collection—shares Truman Lowe’s interest in Indigenous homelands, cultural knowledge, and traditional practices. Hopinka contributed to the exhibition catalog for Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe, writing on Lowe’s lasting impact on his work. Hopinka joins the museum for this special after hours event featuring a screening of three of his short video works followed by a discussion with Rebecca Head Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and exhibition curator, along with art-making activities, and a closer look at some of Lowe’s work currently on view.
Sky Hopinka has been widely recognized for his experimental short films and photo-based works. A MacArthur Fellow,…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 1, Rasmuson Theater and Level 3, North Gallery. Cost: Free, registration recommended. Categories: After Five. Celebrations. Films. Lectures & Discussions. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
For more info visit s.si.edu.
DC | Service and Sacrifice: Veterans Day 2026
One-Time Events
Join the National Museum of the American Indian in honoring the enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military. Throughout the day, visitors of all ages can learn more about Native military service and honor veterans through presentations, a short film, hands-on activities, various information tables, and more.
The Native American Women Warriors (NAWW) will present the colors to begin the day's programming with a welcome from museum leadership. Take in the exhibition Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and watch the short film that complements the exhibition. Hear about the history and design of the National Native American Veterans Memorial on our grounds. Learn about the significance of tobacco in Indigenous cultures and make prayer ties to honor veterans. Meet with members of the Native American Women Warriors and learn about their service. Color your own Lakota star quilt as you learn about the history and significance of quilts in…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Online. Event Location: Level 1: Potomac Atrium, Rasmuson Theater, Level 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Outdoors: Welcome Plaza, National Native American Veterans Memorial. Online Link: https://www.americanindian.si.edu/livestream. Cost: Free. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Kids & Families. Films. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit americanindian.si.edu.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Always Becoming: Next Chapter
One-Time Events
Join artist Nora Naranjo Morse (Kha’p’o Owenge ([Santa Clara Pueblo]), creator of Always Becoming, and the community that cares for the museum's ephemeral outdoor sculpture family, to learn about the project's evolution over the past two decades, and what the future holds. Learn about the art of clay, traditions of sustainability in Pueblo building techniques, and more. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly art activities, dance performances by the Zuni Olla Maidens, watch a short film, and multiple opportunities to hear from the artist, her family, and museum experts that have contributed to the care and revitalization of the sculptures.
*Portions of the day's programming will be streaming live online at AmericanIndian.si.edu/livestream
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Level 1, Outdoors, 10:30 AM | Welcome CeremonyJoin the artist, her family, museum leadership, and tribal elders for a ceremony to honor Always Becoming with a song and brief remarks. 11:30 AM | Closer Look: Caring for Always BecomingJoin museum experts in…
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Online. Event Location: Outdoors, Level 1: Potomac Atrium, Level 3: imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Celebrations. Demonstrations. Films. Lectures & Discussions. Performances. Kids & Families. Webcasts & Online. Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Captioning. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
NY | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's teaching collection, such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials, which can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity. All are welcome.
*Recommended for visitors ages 3–9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver. **Schedule subject to change.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
NY | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's teaching collection, such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials, which can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity. All are welcome.
*Recommended for visitors ages 3–9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver. **Schedule subject to change.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, November 28, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
NY | Hands On: Miniature Drums with Lance Cardinal
One-Time Events
Get inspired by our exhibition Mighty Miniatures and then make your own miniature drum with guidance from artist Lance Cardinal (Bigstone Cree Nation, Treat 8 Territory, Alberta, Canada), recognized for his creativity across the scale, from massive public art works to miniatures.
Lance Cardinal is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with experience in design, murals, acting, and miniatures. Cardinal was a finalist on the third season of the reality television show, Best In Miniature. His 85-foot tall mural The Land We Share is recognized as the largest solar panel art in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records (2025). He created the Turtle Island Team logo for the Edmonton Oilers professional hockey team and worked with IKEA to create the first Indigenous family furniture showroom at their Edmonton location. Cardinal won the 2025 Canadian Screen Award for "Best Children's or Youth non-fiction program or series" for his show Indigenous Art Adventures on APTN.
Cardinal will lead visitors in…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, Thunderbird Room. Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Workshops. Demonstrations. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:35 AM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
NY | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's teaching collection, such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials, which can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity. All are welcome.
*Recommended for visitors ages 3–9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver. **Schedule subject to change.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
NY | Curator Tour: Mighty Miniatures
One-Time Events
Join museum curator Anya Montiel (Mestiza/Tohono O'odham descent) for a tour of the exhibition Mighty Miniatures. Montiel will share how these tiny marvels reveal stories about childhood, creativity, and innovation, as well as the ways Indigenous communities have used miniatures to preserve traditional knowledge and support economic development. Ranging from North, Central, and South America and Hawai‘i, the exhibition features over 300 works from the museum’s collection of more than 1,300 miniatures. Dolls, pottery, baskets, and more—Mighty Miniatures celebrates these artistic marvels in miniature and the Indigenous artists who make them.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, East Gallery. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM.
NY | Hands On: Miniature Drums with Lance Cardinal
One-Time Events
Get inspired by our exhibition Mighty Miniatures and then make your own miniature drum with guidance from artist Lance Cardinal (Bigstone Cree Nation, Treat 8 Territory, Alberta, Canada), recognized for his creativity across the scale, from massive public art works to miniatures.
Lance Cardinal is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with experience in design, murals, acting, and miniatures. Cardinal was a finalist on the third season of the reality television show, Best In Miniature. His 85-foot tall mural The Land We Share is recognized as the largest solar panel art in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records (2025). He created the Turtle Island Team logo for the Edmonton Oilers professional hockey team and worked with IKEA to create the first Indigenous family furniture showroom at their Edmonton location. Cardinal won the 2025 Canadian Screen Award for "Best Children's or Youth non-fiction program or series" for his show Indigenous Art Adventures on APTN.
Cardinal will lead visitors in…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, Thunderbird Room. Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Workshops. Demonstrations. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:35 PM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
NY | Hands On: Miniature Drums with Lance Cardinal
One-Time Events
Get inspired by our exhibition Mighty Miniatures and then make your own miniature drum with guidance from artist Lance Cardinal (Bigstone Cree Nation, Treat 8 Territory, Alberta, Canada), recognized for his creativity across the scale, from massive public art works to miniatures.
Lance Cardinal is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with experience in design, murals, acting, and miniatures. Cardinal was a finalist on the third season of the reality television show, Best In Miniature. His 85-foot tall mural The Land We Share is recognized as the largest solar panel art in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records (2025). He created the Turtle Island Team logo for the Edmonton Oilers professional hockey team and worked with IKEA to create the first Indigenous family furniture showroom at their Edmonton location. Cardinal won the 2025 Canadian Screen Award for "Best Children's or Youth non-fiction program or series" for his show Indigenous Art Adventures on APTN.
Cardinal will lead visitors in…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, Thunderbird Room. Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Workshops. Demonstrations. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:35 PM.
NY | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's teaching collection, such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials, which can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity. All are welcome.
*Recommended for visitors ages 3–9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver. **Schedule subject to change.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 1: imagiNATIONS Activity Center Classroom. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM.
NY | Curator Tour: Mighty Miniatures
One-Time Events
Join museum curator Anya Montiel (Mestiza/Tohono O'odham descent) for a tour of the exhibition Mighty Miniatures. Montiel will share how these tiny marvels reveal stories about childhood, creativity, and innovation, as well as the ways Indigenous communities have used miniatures to preserve traditional knowledge and support economic development. Ranging from North, Central, and South America and Hawai‘i, the exhibition features over 300 works from the museum’s collection of more than 1,300 miniatures. Dolls, pottery, baskets, and more—Mighty Miniatures celebrates these artistic marvels in miniature and the Indigenous artists who make them.
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, East Gallery. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
NY | Hands On: Miniature Drums with Lance Cardinal
One-Time Events
Get inspired by our exhibition Mighty Miniatures and then make your own miniature drum with guidance from artist Lance Cardinal (Bigstone Cree Nation, Treat 8 Territory, Alberta, Canada), recognized for his creativity across the scale, from massive public art works to miniatures.
Lance Cardinal is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with experience in design, murals, acting, and miniatures. Cardinal was a finalist on the third season of the reality television show, Best In Miniature. His 85-foot tall mural The Land We Share is recognized as the largest solar panel art in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records (2025). He created the Turtle Island Team logo for the Edmonton Oilers professional hockey team and worked with IKEA to create the first Indigenous family furniture showroom at their Edmonton location. Cardinal won the 2025 Canadian Screen Award for "Best Children's or Youth non-fiction program or series" for his show Indigenous Art Adventures on APTN.
Cardinal will lead visitors in…
Venue: American Indian Museum NY. Location Icon: New York, NY. Event Location: Level 2, Thunderbird Room. Cost: Free. Categories: Celebrations. Workshops. Demonstrations. Related Exhibition: Mighty Miniatures.
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 3:00 PM – 3:35 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, December 15, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, December 16, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, December 16, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Story Time
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that can deepen their understanding of the community represented in the story, along with a craft or other activity.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3. **Recommended for visitors ages 3-9 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
***Schedule subject to change without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: imagiNATIONS Activity Center, Level 3. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, December 19, 2026, 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM.
DC | Look, Learn, Create: Water's Edge for Families
One-Time Events
Join a museum educator for a family-friendly interactive tour of the Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe exhibition! Visitors will engage with three of his artworks and can participate in guided discussions, and experience items from the museum's Teaching Collection. After finding inspiration from Truman Lowe’s artworks, families can continue into the imagiNATIONS Activity Center and create their own water-inspired artwork to take home. Recommended for children ages 4-10 and their families. All ages welcome. *Visitors 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult. First come, first served, capacity and supplies are limited. **This program can accommodate approximately 30 young visitors and their adult caregiver. Leading support provided by Bank of America. Major support provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Generous support provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art and Ameriprise Financial. Additional support provided by John and Meryl Lavine, Greg and Cathy Tibbles, and Leslie A. Wheelock.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3: Exhibition Gallery, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Kids & Families. Related Exhibition: Water's Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, December 19, 2026, 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, December 22, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, December 22, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, December 23, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, December 23, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Tuesday, December 29, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Tuesday, December 29, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
DC | Cradleboards and Crawlers
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Designed for early learners (ages 0-2), their caregivers, and families, this drop-in program offers young visitors the opportunity to enjoy a book by a Native author or illustrator read by a Museum Educator, engage in free play and sensory enrichment, and participate in other hands-on learning.
*Due to limited capacity in our spaces, tickets may be needed to enter the Activity Center and therefore the Story room (limited to 25 persons max). Please see staff at the entrance desk of the imagiNATIONS Activity Center on Level 3.
**Recommended for visitors ages 0-2 years old accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Level 3, imagiNATIONS Activity Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families.
Wednesday, December 30, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.
DC | Welcome to a Native Place
Ongoing Tours & Activities
Enjoy tribal songs from Alaska to Florida with Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Isanti Dakota/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo) in the Potomac Atrium. At the end of the 30-minute presentation, visitors are encouraged to ask questions pertaining to the museum and Indigenous culture, past and present. Presentations may be canceled without prior notice.
Venue: American Indian Museum DC. Location Icon: Washington, DC. Event Location: Potomac Atrium. Cost: Free. Categories: Performances.
Wednesday, December 30, 2026, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM.