plains indian museum

A Blackfeet artist hand sewed thousands of beads on a buffalo hide to make a face covering for a horse.

Some Plains Indian cultures used elk teeth to decorate clothing and make jewelry. One example is a 1890 Crow red wool dress made for a child that has dozens of elk teeth on it that are considered ivory.

A beaded bag by a Northern Arapaho and Cattaraugus Seneca artist uses beadwork to create an image of a Shoshone woman.

A cradleboard at the Plains Indian Museum uses beadwork to share the sacred story of the prairie crocus and the legendary figure called Wapee.

Hunter Old Elk, the curatorial assistant of the Plains Indian Museum, said when children come into this world, they are a new generation.“They are a new light and a new soul. And we believe that and so when they’re born, we celebrate in so many ways,” said Old Elk.

Toys are a great example of how historians learn about people's everyday lives. Hunter Old Elk, the curatorial assistant of the Plains Indian Museum, said…

There are times when a curator of a museum may decide not to keep an object that came in with a larger collection. That's because of the damage or quality…

One day while working in the Plains Indian Museum collections, Hunter Old Elk, the curatorial assistant, found a very heavy box."I didn't really know what…

Lauren Good Day is Arikara Hidatsa Blackfeet and Plains Cree. Rebecca West, the curator of the Plains Indian Museum, said this diverse cultural heritage…

The Plains Indian Museum not only collects older artwork but also contemporary artwork. The museum has a piece of pottery by Rose Pecos SunRhodes. “[It’s]…