Electronic Resources for Art Research

Native American Art

Seattle Art Museum Native and Mesoamerican Art
Selected images from the Seattle Art Museum’s Native and Mesoamerican art collection.

Royal BC Museum
Online exhibit that explores the transformation of Thunderbird Park in Victoria, British Columbia, in four phases from prior to 1939 to the present. A map provides information on each object represented, and each phase includes an image gallery and video clips.

National Museum of the American Indian
Collection of over 30 online exhibitions. These explore and address a variety of topics and issues related to the art and history of the Native cultures and peoples that were indigenous to America.

The Enduring Power of Totem Poles
Created by the Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Coast Art at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, this presentation looks at the history and significance of totem poles in coastal tribal cultures. A collection database with images is included for each coastal region.

The Exploration of Northwest Coast Indian Art
A University of Washington TV video of a faculty lecture by Professor Emeritus Bill Holm. Using more than 100 photographs of artwork, Holm examines how Northwest Coast Native American art has been perceived over the generations and what is going on today to understand it. Run time is 48 minutes.

Repatriation and NAGPRA
About.com page with links on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Links include the websites for the National Park Service National NAGPRA homepage and the Smithsonian Institution’s Repatriation Office.