Scottsdale’s heritage has its foundation in the vibrant cultures of the area’s first inhabitants, the Native Americans. Their influence can be seen throughout Scottsdale, but to get a true feel for their rich and varied cultures, you must see their art. Here are five places to experience Native American art in Scottsdale.
Heard Museum
This world-famous museum features art from many different Native American tribes. The Heard’s signature exhibit, “HOME: Native People in the Southwest,” is complemented by six to eight changing exhibits each year that cover topics ranging from social issues and cultural artifacts to contemporary art. Every March, you can meet and talk with hundreds of Native American artists who show and sell their work at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market.
S'edav Va'aki Museum
S’edav Va’aki Museum (formerly Pueblo Grande Museum & Archaeological Park) features a prehistoric Hohokam ruin encircled by a 2/3-mile interpretive trail. Inside the museum, changing gallery exhibits explore Hohokam archaeology, Southwestern cultures and contemporary Native American arts.
Talking Stick Resort
The Cultural Center at Talking Stick Resort features art reflecting the Pima and Maricopa ancestry that now forms the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. In fact, most of the art on display at the Center was created by members of the Community. You’ll see Native pottery, jewelry and a talking stick, a custom piece from which the resort gets its name.
Native Art Market
Native-owned and -operated, this Old Town marketplace features authentic, handmade arts, crafts and jewelry by more than 300 Indigenous artisans. Be sure to check Native Art Market's calendar of weekly events, including tribal dance performances and Sip ‘N Shop experiences with Native artists and musicians.
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
This Old Town museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, celebrates the culture and indomitable spirit of the American West through a variety of exhibitions, including “Canvas of Clay: Hopi Pottery Masterworks.” Explore more than 65 pieces of exemplary Hopi Pottery by historic and contemporary master artists.
