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National Museum of the American Indian

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #105 of 273 attractions in Washington DC
Traveler Description:
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Attraction type: History museum, Specialty museum
Activities: Canoeing, Drinking, Group tours/city tour, Jogging, Nightlife, Shopping, Walking, Biking, Dining, Group tours/bus tour, City walk sightseeing, Golfing, Group tours/walking tour, Kayaking, People-watching, Swimming, Hiking, Motor-boating, Running, Viewing wildlife
Address: National Mall, 4th St. and Independence Ave., S.W. Washington DC, DC 20013

TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of National Museum of the American Indian

( 1-10 of 20 )
1 of 5 stars
Fairfax, VA
Sep 23, 2008

Looking through the reviews on this site, this place definitely could be described as "love it or hate it." Put me (and my family) down as "hate it." As DC locals, we get to enjoy the sights in town at a leisurely pace. We can go at less crowded times. That being said, I doubt we will ever step foot... more

4 of 5 stars
Jönköping
Aug 17, 2008

The food court is the main reason to go to this museum. In fact, while you are touring D.C., this should be your main food place. The court is about as confusing as the museum itself, but it is very good. The museum is awkward to access. There are little artefacts or history, so it is mostly about "stories", which... more

4 of 5 stars
Chicago, Illinois
Apr 8, 2008
2/2 found this review helpful

There are a couple things to keep in mind before you visit this museum. First, this is not an "American Indian History" museum. You will not find many artifacts or exhibits on day to day live before colonization. If that's what you're looking for, a visit to a natural history museum would be more appropriate. Second, the term "American" in... more

Jan 30, 2008
1/1 found this review helpful

If you are interested in Native American beliefs and culture and want to be immersed in it for an afternoon, go here! This is the most amazing museum I've ever been to. The "Our Universes" exhibit is like going to church for Native spirituality. And it's a stone's throw from the Capitol building. The cafe had such unique foods; being... more

2 of 5 stars
Trapped in Maryland
Dec 21, 2007

The museum was kind of a let down. The building and the grounds really makes you think it will be excellent. But the exhibits are all fairly bland. For the most part, the exhibits are arranged by tribe or region. It is as if each tribe was given a space to provide their own exhibit. Because of that, many of... more

Nov 25, 2007
2/2 found this review helpful

As you can see from the reviews, people either love or hate this museum. While there are some amazing artifacts on display, the organization of the museum is poor and there is no flow to the order of displays. This museum tries to do too much. It covers all of the Americas not just the United States which is odd... more

2 of 5 stars
north west england
Oct 2, 2007
1/1 found this review helpful

I'd hoped that this would have been one of the high-lights of our trip to the US. It wasnt. The building itself is interesting. Lunch was good. But the displays were a bit of let-down in terms of better understanding an unfamiliar culture. There is a lot of repetition - unsurprising as several of the tribes have similar belief systems. more

Jul 3, 2007
3/4 found this review helpful

The building is magnificent but don't bother going inside if you want an understanding of American Indian material culture. The exhibits are sparse and poorly displayed, leaving most with little more knowledge than before they entered the building. The collection owned by the government is vast. It's just stored in a warehouse in Maryland. You only see a fraction, and... more

5 of 5 stars
Bristow VA
Jun 11, 2007
2/2 found this review helpful

Magnificent, Ideal Museum By, For All Native American Cultures, Arctic to Antarctic. The Building and Grounds Highly Symbolic, As Native Americans Were,> In Union With Nature. Very Strong, Ideal About Native Cultures, Lifestyles, Whch we westerners do Not Know was Ideal. Most Nations had True Democracy> If One did Wrong, the Tribe (Nation would Meet, Resolve. The Chief... more

1 of 5 stars
Martinez, GA
Apr 16, 2007
2/3 found this review helpful

Visited on Monday, April 2nd. Was expecting an education on cultural history of all tribes. Whole presentation had a 'tone' of wrongness done and still endured, which is fine, but expected something totally different. more

Reviews of National Museum of the American Indian

( 1-10 of 20 )
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National Museum of the American Indian: Management Resources

National Museum of the American Indian Address

National Mall, 4th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington DC, DC 20013