Plains Indian Museum
Plains Indian Museum
A Must-See Western Museum
The Plains Indian Museum celebrates the living cultures, art, and traditions of Native peoples of the Great Plains. Through its collection, the museum honors centuries of creativity, resilience, and vision that continue to shape Native communities today. From nineteenth-century garments and beadwork to contemporary works by Plains artists, each piece reflects identity, adaptation, and deep connections to land and tradition. The collection began with items from Native performers in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows and has grown through significant acquisitions and modern works. More than preserving the past, the museum connects generations, offering insight into the enduring strength and spirit of Plains cultures.
NAGPRA at the Center of the West
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West complies with all legal and ethical principles of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990 (Public Law 601-101 and the Final Regulations, 43 CFR 10). Objects governed and defined by NAGPRA include human remains, associated and unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. The Center recognizes its role as a caretaker of sacred and/or culturally sensitive objects and works with both federally recognized and non-federally recognized Indian Tribes and Nations of the United States to identify and repatriate cultural items defined by NAGPRA; and with Canadian First Nations to identify and repatriate cultural items described by NAGPRA under Center policies and international laws.
The Center has developed formal steps intended to guide the NAGPRA repatriation process and welcomes inquiries from Federal entities, Native American Tribes, lineal descendants, and researchers. If you would like to initiate a NAGPRA consultation, file a claim, or learn more about our NAGPRA program, please contact the NAGPRA team at [email protected]
Plains Indian Gallery Themes
Encounter the Plains Indians through the rich themes of Buffalo and the People, Honor and Celebration, Land of Many Gifts, and Adversity and Renewal.
What Will You See?
Objects in the Plains Indian Museum range from the functional trappings of every-day life to works of exquisite artistry, from historic to contemporary. Browse some highlights.
