During your visit to the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, explore the Museum’s permanent Western and Native American exhibitions drawn from its collection as well as special exhibitions. Outside, art meets nature in the Eiteljorg Gardens along the scenic Indianapolis Downtown Canal. You can enjoy dining and shopping in the Eiteljorg Museum Café and the Frank and Katrina Basile Museum Store.
Western Art
Explore Western Art in the Art of the American West and Gund Galleries. Comprised of paintings, drawings and sculpture that highlight different artistic visions of the West, the art museum’s Western Collection is as diverse as the region itself, spanning from the early explorer-artists of the mid-19th century to the contemporary traditional realist of today.
The Art of the American West Gallery
From commercial illustrations by early 20th century painters to introspective abstractions by the modernists who followed, the Art of the American West Gallery features an eclectic mix of 20th century western art. Strengths within the collection include its series of paintings by the Taos Society of Artists, dating from the late 1890s to the late 1920s.
The Gund Gallery of Western Art
On display in the Gund Gallery of Western Art is the collection of historic Western art assembled by Cleveland businessman George Gund and his family. Gifted to the Museum in 2002, the collection includes significant works by artists Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Alfred Jacob Miller and William R. Leigh.
Native American
Native American exhibitions located in the second floor galleries illustrate the artistic and cultural diversity found throughout North America. In Mihtohseenionki (The People's Place) explore the native people including the Miami, Potawatomi and Delaware who originally and still call Indiana home. Additional second floor gallery space explores Native arts and cultures. At the core of the Native American collection are the personal holdings of founder Harrison Eiteljorg, including everything from weaponry, clothing and basketry to contemporary Hopi Katsina carvings, jewelry and Inuit sculpture. Additional highlights include the Martin J. and Julie Klaper Collection of Arctic Art, the R. Terrance and Rebecca J. Rader Collection of Katsina Carvings, the Donald B. and Jean O. Korb Collection of Navajo Saddle Blankets and the Helen Cox Kersting Collection of Southwestern Art.
Eiteljorg Outdoor Gardens
Outside, art meets nature in the Eiteljorg Gardens. Wander the paths that wind along the Indianapolis Downtown Canal, lined with plants rich in aesthetic appeal and ethno botanical history. Sculptures throughout the Garden such as Time Landscape by Alan Sonfis, Bruce LaFountai’s Wisdom Keepers, Water Whispers by Truman Lowe, Kenneth R. Bunn’s Whitetail Deer and Gerald Clarke’s Myaamionki, Seekaahkwiaanki and Oonseentia complement the museum’s Western and Native American art exhibitions.
Eiteljorg Museum Café
Enjoy a quick bite or light lunch in the Eiteljorg Museum Café. The Café’s menu features soups, specialty salads, and hot and cold sandwiches as well as Mexican cuisine.
Shop the Frank and Katrina Basile Museum Store
Be sure to stop by the Frank and Katrina Basile Museum Store, located just inside the main entrance of the Eiteljorg Museum. Within the store you will find turquoise, silver and precious stone jewelry, pottery, sculpture, paintings and posters by award-winning artists. Hand-carved Zuni fetishes and intricately beaded items along with books that detail Native American artistry from weaving to pottery to jewelry are available. The store’s kitchen section includes a selection of Native American and Southwestern cookbooks, wooden bowls and Native American candy, spices, mixes and sauces. Home wares such as southwestern rugs and Pendleton blankets are also available to purchase.
- The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is ADA compliant.
- Pick up an exploratory garden card from one of the admission desks, featuring interesting facts about what’s in bloom in the Eiteljorg Outdoor Gardens.