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IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Selected as No. 3 Museum by USA TODAY

Feb 27, 2023

The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is pleased to share that USA TODAY 10Best named the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) number three in the Readers’ Choice contest for Best Art Museum in the United States. A panel of experts was selected by USA TODAY and partnered with 10Best editors—together, they selected the top twenty nominees, and the top ten were determined by popular vote.

We thank everyone who believes in MoCNA’s mission “to elevate contemporary Indigenous art through exhibitions, collections, programs, partnerships, and new research” and took the time to cast a vote for us.

The top ten winners in the category Best Art Museum are as follows:

  • Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan
  • American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
  • IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming
  • Newfields, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, Georgia
  • Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Getty Center, Los Angeles, California
  • Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico

To learn more about the top ten Best Art Museums, visit USA Today 10Best.

“We are honored that USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice recognizes the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) as the third Best Art Museum in the USA. The acknowledgment is not about competition but about recognition of dedicated and committed staff who elevate contemporary Indigenous arts in all we do.”
Patsy Phillips (Cherokee Nation)

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Director

Hours

Mon, Wed–Sat
10 am–5 pm
4:15 pm (last admittance)
*Fri (free admission)

Sunday
11 am–4 pm
3:15 pm (last admittance)

Current and Upcoming MoCNA Exhibitions

A listing of current and upcoming exhibitions at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA).

List of Events

Arctic Highways: Unbounded Indigenous People

Fri, August 16, 2024Sun, March 2, 2025

The traveling exhibition Arctic Highways features 12 Indigenous artists from Sápmi (cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people) and North America, sharing stories of Indigenous people who live on different continents yet regard themselves as kindred spirits.

Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic

Fri, August 16, 2024Sun, January 5, 2025

For millennia Indigenous peoples of the North have lived in harmony with the land and sea. The twelve artists and activists in the exhibition Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic continue this relationship.

The Stories We Carry

Sat, August 17, 2024Tue, August 17, 2027

The Stories We Carry features contemporary jewelry created by more than 100 Indigenous artists across decades stewarded by the MoCNA permanent collection.

Our Stories

Sat, August 17, 2024Sat, May 16, 2026

Our Stories is a companion to The Stories We Carry exhibition, located adjacent to the Kieve Family Gallery.

Jordan Ann Craig

Fri, February 7, 2025Sun, June 29, 2025

Rhythm|Pattern|Precision showcases Jordan Ann Craig’s bold geometric abstractions and intricate dot drawings, blending Indigenous traditions with modern techniques to explore identity and memory.

2024–2025 IAIA BFA Exhibition

Fri, March 14, 2025Fri, May 16, 2025

Discover the exceptional talent and vision of emerging Indigenous artists at the 2024–2025 IAIA BFA Exhibition, featuring works from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Bachelor of Fine Arts programs.

Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Lab: Dreaming with AI

Fri, March 21, 2025Sun, July 13, 2025

Dreaming with AI showcases Dr. Suzanne Kite’s (Oglála Lakȟóta) innovative works, blending Indigenous knowledge, Lakȟóta cosmology, and artificial intelligence.

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts