National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) was created on November 18, 1989, when President George H.W. Bush signed an act allowing the transfer of the Museum of the American Indian into the Smithsonian to create NMAI. As one of the Smithsonian’s newer museums, the images in this gallery show the evolution of postcard use at the Smithsonian. The NMAI postcards mainly advertise exhibits or serve as RSVP cards to special exhibit functions.
Color postcard advertising the groundbreaking ceremony for the National Museum of the American Indian. The front has an image of a painting done by Tony Abeyta called Gathering from Four Directions, and it has a black border. It also has a quote from Abeyta: "For the National Museum of the American Indian, this is my interpretation of north, south, east, and west." The postcard is unused, but the message side is filled with printed information about the groundbreaking ceremony. 1999, Tony Abeyta, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 2, Folder: Ground Breaking Ceremony, September 28, 1999: 1, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07854 (front) and SIA2013-07855 (back).
Color postcard advertising a one-day exhibit from the National Museum of the American Indian called Return to a Native Place: Creating the National Museum of the American Indian in Denver, Colorado. The front of the postcard is a watercolor rendering of a model of the National Museum of the American Indian. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit. 2000, Elizabeth Day, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Denver City Tour, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07876 (front) and SIA2013-07877 (back).
Color postcard to RSVP to the En Pointe: The Lives and Legacies of Ballet's Native Americans exhibit premiere at the National Museum of the American Indian. The left side has a painting of Native Americans performing ballet, and the right side has RSVP options. The postcard is unused, and the address side was pre-addressed to NMAI. 2000, Unknown, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 2, Folder: En Pointe Film Premiere, May 4, 2000, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07858 (front) and SIA2013-07859 (back).
Grayscale postcard advertising the Spirit Capture: Native American and the Photographic Image exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian. A Kiowa man is sitting in a car in the driver’s seat, and two Kiowa women are posing outside the car. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit. 2001, Horace Poolaw, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 1, Folder: Spirit Capture/NYC Doe Boy Premiere, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07850 (front) d SIA2013-07851 (back).
Color postcard to RSVP to the reception for several exhibits at the National Museum of the American Indian: Newborn Ancestors: The Art and Articles of Plains Indian Children, Gifts of Pride and Love: Kiowa and Comanche Cradles, and Seth Eastman Watercolors: A Soldier Artist Among the Dakota. The left side of the card has an image of a baby carrier, and the right side has RSVP options. The postcard is unused, and the address side was pre-addressed to NMAI. 2001, Unknown, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Kiowa Cradles/Newborn, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07878 (front) and SIA2013-07879 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Booming Out: Mohawk Ironworkers Build New York exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian. Two Mohawk men are on an iron structure high up in the city. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit. 2002, Bethlehem Steel, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 1, Folder: Booming Out: Mohawk Ironworkers Build New York: 1, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07846 (front) and SIA2013-07847 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with Tire by Joe Feddersen on the front. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. 2003, Richard Nicol, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2003, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07872 (fornt) and SIA2013-07873 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with Autumn Sonata #12 by Harry Fonseca on the front. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. 2003, James Hart, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2003, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07874 (front) and SIA2013-07875 (back).
Color postcard to RSVP to the Legends of Our Time: Native Ranching and Rodeo Life on the Plains and Plateau exhibit reception at the National Museum of the American Indian. A grayscale photo of a Native American cowboy is on the left side of the card, and the right side has RSVP options. The postcard is unused, and the address side was pre-addressed to NMAI. 2003, Sumner W. Matteson, Jr., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2003, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07870 (front) and SIA2013-07871 (back).
Color postcard advertising special activities for the First American Art: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of American Indian Art exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian. The front of the postcard has an image of a coin bowl and a rattle that looks like a head, against a black background. The postcard is unused, but the message side is filled with information about special activities for the exhibit. 2004, Dirk Bakker, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 2, Folder: First American Art--Gala Reception and Dinner: 1, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07860 (front) and SIA2013-07861 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with Ghosts, Girls, Grandmas by Shelley Niro on the front. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. 2004, Shelley Niro, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2004, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07862 (front) and SIA2013-07863 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with Welgatim's Song by Judith Lowry on the front. A man with a wolf’s head stands in the left side of the painting on a rock in lava. A woman is standing on the right side of the painting at the edge of a river, with her hands outstretched. A volcano is erupting in the background, and the river is running between lava. The front of the postcard has a white border. The card is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. 2004, Rob Wilke, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2004, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07864 (front) and SIA2013-07865 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with As Above So Below by George Longfish on the front. A Native American man in grayscale is seated in middle of the artwork, surrounded by words that are different colors. The front of the postcard has a white border. The card is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. Anya Montiel, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2004, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07866 (front) and SIA2013-07867 (back).
Color postcard advertising the Continuum: 12 Artists exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian with Transitions by Nora Naranjo-Morse on the front. Transitions is an installation composed of clay columns. The front of the postcard has a white border. The card is unused, but the message side has printed information about the exhibit and featured artwork on the card. 2004, Greg Morse, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Collection 08-089, Box 3, Folder: Invitations, 2004, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07868 (front) and SIA2013-07869 (back).