National Museum of the American Indian

Overview

The National Museum of the American Indian is a free Smithsonian museum housed in the spectacular Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece at the foot of Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

Highlights

• The Building: Designed by Cass Gilbert (architect of the Woolworth Building), the 1907 Custom House features a grand rotunda with murals by Reginald Marsh and four monumental sculptures by Daniel Chester French representing the continents.
• The Collection: Rotating exhibitions drawn from the museum's collection of over 800,000 objects representing Native cultures across the Americas.
• Free Admission: As a Smithsonian institution, admission is always free.

History

The Custom House served as the collection point for all duties on goods entering New York Harbor from 1907 to 1973. The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian moved into the building in 1994.

Visitor Tips

• Don't Miss the Architecture: Even if the current exhibitions don't appeal, the building itself — particularly the rotunda and the grand staircase — is worth the visit.
• Bowling Green: The museum faces Bowling Green, New York's oldest public park, and the Charging Bull sculpture is nearby.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.