After years of planning and months of construction, the new Native American Galleries opens to the public Saturday

The Eiteljorg Museum’s newly redesigned Native American Galleries will open to the public this weekend.

Spokesperson Bryan Corbin said an eight-month, six-million-dollar project will showcase a dramatically different presentation of native art.

“The artworks are organized thematically under the themes of relation, continuation and innovation and really show the tremendous variety of native American art across North America,” Corbin said.

The old galleries on the second floor had the same floor plan since the museum opened in 1989.

“If you have not been to the Eiteljorg for a while, definitely come back and you will be impressed with a totally different design and presentation.”

The weekend opening coincides with the 30th annual Eiteljorg Indian market and festival, which is back in person this year for the first time since the pandemic.

“We will have 140 native American artists from across North America representing 60 different tribes.” Corbin said. 

The reconstruction and reinstallation of the Native American Galleries is part of the museum’s Project 2021 capital/endowment campaign. That $55 million project includes other phases: reinstalling the museum’s Western art galleries in 2018; renovating the children’s discovery area, the Nina Mason Pulliam Education Center, in 2021; expanding the multipurpose facility, the Allen Whitehill Clowes Sculpture Court, in summer 2022 so it can host larger events; and tripling the museum’s endowment through gifts and pledges. 

The Eiteljorg has raised 98.5 percent of its goals for Project 2021.