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FAQs

All IAIA FAQ’s are listed in this page.
Admissions FAQs

Are campus or classroom tours available?

Yes, tours can be made with the Office of Admissions, Records and Enrollment, by calling (800) 804-6422. We are unable to conduct tours during mid-terms, finals, and major Holidays.

Can only American Indians attend IAIA?

No, the Institute is a public institution and welcomes application from everyone who is interested in the study, creative application, preservation and contemporary expression of American Indian and Alaskan Native arts and cultures. A large percentage of the student body are American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Are IAIA’s credits able to transfer to other colleges and universities?

Yes, the Institute is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This enables the credits you earned at the Institute to be transferred to other schools of higher education, in accordance with their academic requirements.

Do you charge tuition to all students?

Yes, please see the Tuition and Fees area of the site.

Housing FAQs

What to Bring to IAIA?

This is an extensive list, and certainly you do not need everything on it, but it can serve as a checklist and may help you remember some important items, some of which are specific to Santa Fe and the IAIA residence center.

Whatever housing option you choose, the student life and housing staff are here to help make your college experience successful and rewarding.

Student Life FAQs

What kind of weather should I expect in Santa Fe?

The weather in Santa Fe is unpredictable. At an elevation of 7000 ft, we do get snow, but often by afternoon it will melt. In September the high averages 78° and the low 47°, in February the high averages 48° and the low 22°. The saying around Santa Fe is, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute.”

What type of activities does Santa Fe offer?

Santa Fe is an art mecca. There are always art shows and openings, plays, and music happening around the city. If you enjoy winter sports or spring camping, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are close by.

How far is the City of Santa Fe from the IAIA Campus?

Although the IAIA Campus is located outside the city proper, the downtown area (the Plaza) is ten miles or a short fifthteen-minute drive. The Santa Fe Place Mall is 4 ½ miles or seven-minute drive.

I don’t have a car. How will I get around Santa Fe?

See Transportation

How do I get from Albuquerque to the campus?

See Transportation

What is there to do for fun around campus?

Most evenings, student activities will offer some type of entertainment, from on-campus activities to events in Albuquerque. We also have a Recreation Center with a TV, pool tables, and equipment for checkout. Next to the Recreation Center is the Fitness and Wellness Center where students can work out.

What kind of Healthcare is available?

See the For Parents page.

For all emergencies, please call 911.

I’m over 21 years old and occasionally like to have a drink. May I drink on campus?

Whether you’re over 21 or not, alcohol and drugs are not allowed on campus. IAIA is a drug and alcohol free campus. Suspension and arrest is a likely course of action. See the IAIA Alcohol and Drug Policy.

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) FAQs

Where is the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts?

The collection is housed in its new storage located at the Science and Technology building on the campus of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) at 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Where is the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts?

The Museum is in downtown Santa Fe at 108 Cathedral Place about one block from the historic Santa Fe Plaza and across from the La Fonda Hotel.

How do I research the collection?

Research of the collection requires an appointment made with the collections staff. You may contact a staff member by e-mail at collections@iaia.edu.

Where is the Robert and Barbara Ells Family Collection Gallery?

The collection storage has a built in gallery dedicated as the Robert and Barbara Ells Family Collection Gallery in honor of their generous financial support& to the 2010 campaign to move the National Collection of Contemporary Native Arts to its permanent storage facility. Regular exhibits featuring pieces from the collection are on display in the gallery. The gallery also serves as a public viewing room into the entire collection storage space. It is open to the public daily
Monday through Friday, 10 am–4 pm.

Are there tours of the collection?

Since the Robert and Barbara Ells Family Collection Gallery provides a full view of the storage area, it is not necessary to schedule a tour through the storage space itself, but by special appointment, a staff member can be made available to meet groups to talk about the collection. You may contact a collection staff member by e-mail at collections@iaia.edu.

Is the collection digitized and available online?

The digital images and data for the National Collection of Contemporary Native Art are in the process of being reviewed for inclusion in an online database.

Do you give appraisals?

Appraisals are not possible. A list of certified appraisers who may be able to help you is on file. Please contact us by e-mail at collections@iaia.edu.

MoCNA Visitor Services FAQs

What does it cost to see the exhibits?

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) admission rates are $10 for adults; half-price for seniors (62+), students w/ valid ID, and NM residents; and free for members, Native people, veterans and their families, youth (16 & under), and NM residents visiting on Sunday. Admission rates are subject to change. Call (888) 922-IAIA for more information.

How can I get on the mailing list to receive MoCNA program information?

Become a member to receive our tri-yearly E-news publication highlighting exhibitions, programs and special member events happening at MoCNA throughout the year. Members are automatically signed up to receive the most up-to-date information on what is happening at MoCNA. When you become a member, please be sure to provide us with your email address to ensure that you get access to special member events and benefits. For more information, please inquire at membership@iaia.edu.

What kind of tours do you offer?

MoCNA offers guided and unguided group tours for educational, traveler, and corporate groups—group tours must be arranged at least two weeks prior to arrival. Please call (505) 428-5904 or email groups@iaia.edu to arrange your group tour.

How do I book a group visit or tour?

Please make arrangements at least two weeks in advance. Call (505) 428-5904 or email groups@iaia.edu.

Is it all right to bring a water bottle into the galleries?

Food and drink of any kind (including water bottles) are prohibited in the exhibit galleries.

Does the museum allow videotaping or photography?

MoCNA does not allow videotaping inside the museum. Non-flash photography is allowed only in the Museum Store, Lloyd Kiva New Gallery, North and South Courtyards, and Allan Houser Art Park and not within exhibition galleries, unless otherwise noted. Flash photography is prohibited at all times. Tripods are not permitted inside the museum.

Is it all right to use my cell phone in the museum?

We ask that you turn off or silence your cell phone while in the galleries. Cell phones may be used in the Museum Store, North and South Courtyards, and Allan Houser Art Park.

What happens if I lose something in the Museum?

Any items found in the museum are turned into the security office. Items are logged in and kept for 30 days. After that, they are donated to charity. Call museum security at (505) 428-5905 for more information.