Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to enjoy a vibrant array of activities we have lined up over the coming weeks. I’ll share some highlights but be sure to scroll down to see all the happenings at MNA.

International Museum Day is May 18 and we’re offering free admission all day long. It’s an ideal chance to enjoy the Museum exhibits and some special events alongside your friends and family – absolutely free of charge.

Get ready for the unveiling of a captivating new exhibit, The Grand Canyon Dragon Map. I had the opportunity to see this extraordinary geology map during a rafting trip on the Colorado River in 2022. It immediately drew me in with its intricate details, colors, and design. This exhibit delves into the creation of the map in the 1970s, its applications today, and the stunning geology it depicts. Whether you’re a geology buff, an admirer of the Grand Canyon, or someone who appreciates exquisite maps, this exhibit promises to be an engaging experience.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the Heritage Festival June 22-23. A highlight of our cultural calendar, the two-day festival features an extensive Indigenous art market showcasing artists from the Colorado Plateau, colorful music and dance performances, enriching workshops, and insightful cultural talks. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more details.

We’re excited to offer these experiences as a way to connect more deeply with the art, culture, and science of the Colorado Plateau. Whether you’re revisiting or discovering the Museum for the first time, we look forward to welcoming you.

Executive Director & CEO

Museum of Northern Arizona

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Mark Your Calendar

Easton Collection Center Tour ……………………… May 10

Namingha Institute Reception ……………………… May 10

International Museum Day, Free Entry …………… May 18

Members preview Grand Canyon Dragon Map …. May 24

Grand Canyon Dragon Map Exhibit Opens ……… May 25

Plant Sale at Colton Garden …………………………. May 25

Party on the Plateau Annual Fundraiser ………….. June 8

Thirsty Thursday with Mother Road Trio ……….. June 13

Moore Medicinal Garden Tour ……………………… June 15

Heritage Festival of Arts and Culture ……….. June 22-23

Free Admission Day

Join us for International Museum Day May 18 with free entry for all. Enjoy the museum plus special events, including a pottery and jewelry presentation, pot sherd activity, poetry workshop, hands-on plant identification, and Poetry Maps outdoor installation. There will be live music from the Mountain Time Ramblers starting at 11 a.m. We’ll close out the day with a keynote ARTx presentation by Erick Gonzalez, The Physicist and the Shaman: Perspectives on the Speaking Earth.

Plant Sale and Garden Festival

Set your roots at the Coconino County Master Gardener’s Plant Sale and Garden Festival at Colton Garden May 25. Sale starts at 10 a.m. and features plants, starts, used tools, and food, as well as free gardening tips and other fun activities. We’re firing up the garden’s horno for tastings from the wood-fired earthen oven. Vendors include the Arboretum at Flagstaff, Elevated Gardening, Flagstaff Grown by Erin Cunningham, Lily of the Field, Nevermore Gardens & Bad Seed Co., Terra Birds, and more.

Namingha Institute Artists

Six Namingha Institute Master Class artists have joined master artists Dan and Arlo Namingha for two weeks of intensive work here at the Museum. Aside from their studio time with the Naminghas, class members have drawn inspiration from the Colorado Plateau through tours of our exhibits, MNA’s Easton Collection Center, the surrounding forest, and Wupatki National Monument. A Museum members-only reception and exhibit with the Master Class artists takes place May 10 at the Museum.

Heritage Festival Lineup

Dozens of Colorado Plateau Indigenous artists will be on hand selling their creations June 22-23 under a canopy of pines on the Museum campus. A lineup of performances include Tha ‘Yoties with their unique brand of reggae and rock sounds, the Pollen Trail Dancers, and Living Traditions Dancers. Cultural talks will address language revitalization, the intersection of Indigenous life and running, and the pervasive spirit of Indigenous creativity. Click here for advance ticket sales and more information.

Welcoming Researchers

Did you know that Museum of Northern Arizona collections are a source of unique information for researchers and artists? Rachel Moore, a graduate student at UCLA in the Getty Conservation Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage has been at our Easton Collection Center looking at Hopi wicker baskets from a conservation perspective. She has surveyed more than 100 of MNA’s baskets looking at the treatment and preservation history of both synthetic and natural dyes.

June 22 and 23 during the Heritage Festival

This two-hour river reed flute-making workshop is led by Diné/Ute musician Aaron White. Work alongside Aaron in the Museum’s historic Courtyard to create a unique flute and learn about traditional Native flute music. Each registrant will take home their own unique, tuned flute. Learn more and register.

The Grand Canyon Dragon Map

Members preview May 24, opens May 25

This highly anticipated exhibit explores the origins, heritage, and ongoing use of an iconic geology map first published by MNA in 1976. Alongside artifacts and bygone map-making instruments, the exhibit features a geological exploration of the canyon with rock examples. Copies of the map and other related collectibles are for sale in the Museum Gift Shop.

Horse & Rider: A Southwest Story

The history of horses in North America is being rewritten as radiocarbon dating reveals that Indigenous people had ridden and cared for horses earlier than previously thought. The new research was the impetus for this exhibition that combines fine art and artifacts from Museum collection with first-person accounts of the cultural and spiritual importance of horses in Diné, Hopi, and Zuni culture.

Selling the Southwest

In the early 20th century, entrepreneurs employed artists to create a sense of wonder and mystery about the American Southwest that attracted tourists and established a romanticized vision that has remained to this day. Many of the artists are now prominent names in the canon of classic Southwest art, including Thomas Moran, Louis Akin, and Gunnar Widforss.

The Map is Back

Preorder The Grand Canyon Dragon Map poster at the Museum Gift Shop and online. The poster is available in 16″ x 24″ and 24″ x 34″ sizes. The Museum Shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Every shop purchase helps support the Museum of Northern Arizona and the artists.