⁄ 30
DTPR JULY THROUGH AUGUST 2025 / COVER STORY
**Heard Museum**
Heard Museum: A Deep Dive into Native Heritage
When I enter the Heard Museum, I feel an immediate sense of reverence. This institution is not just a museum; it’s a cultural
sanctuary dedicated to Native American art, history, and storytelling. It’s significance is reflected in its ability to withstand
the test of time. As it’s website states, “Five brief lines in the Arizona Republican newspaper announced the opening of
the Heard Museum on December 26, 1929.” Now as it approaches its 100th anniversary, current Curator Ann Marshall will
be presenting a brief history of the “decades that led the museum to the present.” One of many of their Summer calendar
offerings: https://heard.org/experience/events-and-classes
The Weave of Culture and Tradition
My visits to The Heard revolve around their compelling exhibits, such as the Boarding School Experience, a poignant installation
that sheds light on a complex chapter of Native history with sensitivity and honesty. Consistently, one of the Museum’s highlights
for me is the collection of Hopi Kachina dolls: each one intricately carved and painted, embodying spiritual stories passed down
through generations. Moving through these galleries, I feel a profound respect for the craftsmanship and cultural significance
behind each piece. In more recent years, I have been deeply inspired by the younger, and newer, contemporary artists being
represented. Their work is often bold and bright, and shouting their stories. Bob Haozous: A Retrospective View, is one such
currently showing. His pieces and their use of space is captivating and thought-provoking. I found myself transported directly
into desiring living in New Mexico and delighting in a hacienda lifestyle.To see current displays, visit the Museum’s website:
https://heard.org
Famous Frida, and not-so-famous Family
The Heard also holds a couple of extra special places in my heart. 1-Frida Kahlo. My favorite visit to the Heard was during
the Frida Kahlo interactive display some seasons ago. We dressed the part, my dear friend Jeremiah and myself; both of
us artists who struggle with disabilities and feel, like so many woman, a kinship with Frida. 2- When the Museum displayed
Objects of Myth & Memory, a massive collection lent by the Brooklyn Museum of Art, where my Great Uncle Stewart Culin
was once Curator.
The items lent were a small part of the masses Stewart had collected, when he made numerous trips out to the Wild West
in covered wagons. I’ve read gossip articles in the old East Coast newspapers about how he lost (more than one) wife to
divorce, while he was gone on such long journeys. What strikes me most though, and makes me most proud to be part of his
family, is that he offered fair-trade to the Natives for their treasures. The Brooklyn Museum considers his detailed notebooks
their greatest valued items. His illustrator and stenographer detailed the families’ names, foods they ate, home settings, all
things, with such a grace and true admiration for their way of life. In a time of thieves, his heart was all integrity and respect.
International to Ethereal
Heard Museum is an international treasure, recognised for its commitment to authentic representation and educational outreach.
To properly comprehend the content, the museum’s guided tours are invaluable. They transform static displays into stories I can
connect with. A current favorite exhibition fully envelops you, “Substance of Stars: Experience light, sound and 360-degree video
that takes you on a journey of Indigenous storytelling.” Other exhibitions can be found here:
https://heard.org/exhibitions
I like to pause at the cafe after and sip a glass by the sculpture garden outside, weather permitting. It serves as a peaceful
oasis, ideal for reflection on the resilience and artistry of Native peoples’ experience and expression just witnessed.
Workshops and Demos
For those interested in further discovery, the Heard Museum offers workshops, educational programs, and live demonstrations
throughout the year, making each visit a new opportunity to learn. Whether you’re a native Arizonan or a visitor from afar, the
Heard Museum is a vital stop for understanding the deep roots of the Southwest.
FREE EVENTS, PERFORMANCES & DEMOS include the Free Family Summer Saturday: Drive and Shine on
July 19, 2025, and the Curator Talk | Majestic Figures: Contemporary Sculptures by Native American Artists on August 7th,
plus more dates. Visit: https://heard.org/experience/events-and-classes