History & Heritage

THE MUSEUM AT WARM SPRINGS

In 1992, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs chartered The Museum At Warm Springs as a nonprofit organization. The following year, the museum opened its doors to the public and has since been sharing a wealth of knowledge with all who enter.

The museum houses one of the largest and most complete collections of Native American artifacts in the nation, and one of the only collections run by a Native American governing body; the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are composed of the Warm Springs, Wasco and Northern Paiute Tribes.

“Many precious artifacts, funerary items and objects of cultural patrimony remain in outside collections,” said Liz Woody, executive director of the museum. “Many of the Oregon tribes have visited and cataloged some of the cultural materials and human remains housed in institutions located in St. Petersburg, Quebec and Great Britain. For this reason, The Museum At Warm Springs has become an important institution as tribal repatriation becomes more prevalent.”

As the discussion around returning Native American artifacts continues into the future, institutions like The Museum At Warm Springs stand ready and eager to receive and take proper care of these items.

The museum, which was built according to Smithsonian standards, stands as one of the most important cultural repositories in the nation, where Native traditions are celebrated while Native communities are supported. The museum also collaborates with local Native artisans to fill the gift shop.

Many Americans are eager to know more about Native American culture—in fact 78 percent of people said as much in a recent survey by Echo Hawk Consulting and First National Development Institute. The Museum At Warm Springs is the perfect place to start learning.

In the future, Woody plans for the museum to become a dynamic cultural center that supports and works with Native American communities, while maintaining a space for Native and non-Native people to come together in mutual understanding and respect for our shared heritage.

The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Entry is $7 for adults, $3.50 for children 5 to 12, $4.50 for students 18 and younger and $6 for seniors.