GEORGE GUSTAV HEYE CENTER

Admission is free.

The Museum’s Heye Center occupies two floors of the Alexander Hamilton US. Custom House in lower Manhattan. The Beaux Arts-style building designed by architect Cass Gilbert, was completed in 1907. It is a designated National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark. - It is one of New York City’s most visited museums.

Open to the public free-of-charge every day except Christmas the Heye Center has teen visited by nearly 2.5 million people since its opening in 1994. It offers a range of exhibitions, film and video screenings, school group programs, and living culture presentations throughout the year. The center’s exhibition and public access areas total about 20,000 square feet. The Heye Center currently has on display two of its original exhibitions. As well as temporary exhibitions, and all orientation exhibition. The permanent exhibitions are:

Creation’s Journey: "Masterworks of Native American Identity and Belief" features 165 objects selected for their beauty, rarity and historical significance, as well as high artistic achievement and broad representation of diverse cultures. The exhibition presents a multivoiced perspective on the objects displayed, and their meanings, with commentary from anthropologists, curators, historians and Native people. The objects range in dates from 3200 B.C. to the 2& century, and represents tribal groups from North. Central and South America.

All Roads Are Good: "Native Voices on Life and Culture" represents the world view of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere as reflected in more than 300 objects chosen by 23 Native Americans. The selectors—artists, singers, storytellers, educators, elders and community leaders—were asked to observe and respond to the objects. The selectors’ responses were recorded and became the exhibit’s first-person voices

Public Programs

The Heye Center hosts Native musicians, dancers, artists and elders in presentations of their art and cultural heritage and in informal programs that invite them to share directly with museum visitors the lifeways and world views of Native peoples. Other programs, including film and video, and symposia explore the diversity of the Native peoples oldie Americas, and the strength and continuity of their cultures from the earliest times to the present. Educational enrichment programs and presentations of living cultures are offered through the museum’s Educational Services Department.

Resource Center

The Resource Center is tire main reference center for the Heye Center. Visitors may use the latest computer technology to learn more about native life and history. Books, articles interactive computer programs, video and audio tapes, and objects are available for reference and research. The Resource Centers staff, many of whom are American Indian, are available daily to answer questions and provide a personal view of life in their communities. The staff also may serve as a source of reference to other departments that can provide more extensive opportunities for research of the museum’s collections.