Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month

Celebrate the rich culture and history of Native American and Indigenous communities through art, talks, and more.

Highlights Art Events Read and Watch
a 19th-century woven Serape of red, beige, and dark blue, featuring horizontal lines and diamond shapes—referred to by some as a rare

Highlights

A bronze plaque mounted on the facade of The Met

This Is Lenapehoking

Learn more about the bronze plaque installed on the The Met Fifth Avenue’s facade that recognizes the homeland of the Indigenous Lenape diaspora.

Portrait of a woman and a self-portrait

Contemporary Native American Art Books

Peruse some of Watson Library's books by and about Indigenous artists.

Art

See work by Native American and Indigenous artists across the Museum.

Six examples of pottery with various decorated surfaces on top of a plain background next to the words "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery"

Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery

In Gallery 746 North, experience Pueblo Indian pottery through this community-curated exhibition featuring more than 100 historical, modern, and contemporary clay works that offer a critical understanding of the medium and it's rich cultural history.

Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection

Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection

Experience the brilliance of Native American artists from across the United States and Canada in this installation of historical and contemporary works in Gallery 746 South.

Events

Mark Native American and Indigenous Heritage Month with these upcoming programs. See a full list of programming here.

A young couple is photographed from a distance and from behind as they walk by The Temple of Dendur, a large ancient Egyptian structure on view in The Met's Egyptian Art Galleries.

Date Night at The Met

On Friday November 17 from 6-7:30 p.m. during Date Night at The Met, head to The American Wing for thematic Gallery Chats hosted by Met Volunteers. 

Two black and white tin-type portraits of Indigenous men.

Artist’s Workshop Demonstration—The Art, Vision, and Community of Photographer Will Wilson

On November 18 and 19, observe portrait demonstrations and the process of tintype photography with photographer Will Wilson (Diné, Navajo).

Six examples of pottery with various decorated surfaces on top of a plain background next to the words "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery"

Met Expert Talks—Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery

On Tuesday, November 14 and 21, join Museum experts, including curators, conservators, scientists, and scholars, for a deep dive into a selection of exhibition objects in the galleries. 

Read and Watch

Learn more about the Native American and Indigenous artists that shaped art history.

Native American and Indigenous Heritage

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A variety of Indigenous pots made with clay in front of a bright sky blue background

Exploring Indigenous Ceramics: A Pueblo Community Panel

Delve into the spirit of Pueblo pottery and hear from community leaders, curators, artists, and collaborators on The Met’s first-ever, community-curated Native American exhibition, Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery.

October 13
The screen depicts four people on a video call with each other.

Art and Activism: Environmental Protection and Contemporary Indigenous Art

Join featured artists and the curator of the exhibitions “Water Memories” and “Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection” for a conversation exploring the significance of water to diverse Indigenous peoples and Nations in the United States, as expressed through historical, modern, and contemporary art. Delve into the artists’ artistic processes while examining the ongoing work to protect water and land, aesthetic activism, and the unique challenges contemporary Indigenous artist-activists face.

June 12
Portrait of several Native American veterans

A Salute to the Artistic Legacy of Native American Veterans

Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month in Watson Library
Amanda Raquel Dorval Nov 9, 2022

Image credit: Serape, ca. 1840-50. (Unidentified Navajo Artist). Gift of John and Margot Ernst, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2019. 2019.373.4