Heard Museum, Phoenix TRIBAL MUSEUMS Amerind Museum, Dragoon Surrounded by the dazzling rock formations of Texas Canyon, the Amerind Museum seeks to promote understand-ing of America’s first peoples through exhibits and artifacts. An impressive art gallery displays works of all Western genres. The beautiful grounds include walking paths and picnic tables set amid the boulder fields. Heard Museum, Phoenix Internationally known for its collection of American Indian artifacts and artwork, the Heard gives a contemporary voice to Native cultures. Spacious exhibit galleries and outdoor courtyards feature an array of art in a range of genres and styles, and visitors flock to the Heard for educational programs and vibrant festivals. Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff This museum tells the story of the Colorado Plateau. It is a land gnawed by erosion, exposing geologic and scenic wonders ranging from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley to Rainbow Bridge to Canyons of the Ancients. Exhibits encompass the biology, geology, anthropol-ogy and art of the region. Explore Navajo Interactive Museum, Tuba City Set inside a large dome meant to recall a traditional Navajo Hogan, this 7,000-square-foot facility is one of the best places to discover Diné culture. Visitors will learn about cre-ation stories, ceremonial life, family systems and language. Montezuma Castle National Monument, Camp Verde Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, Dateland Wupatki National Monument, Flagstaff CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; CHRISTINE C. PHOTOGRAPHIE; JILL RICHARDS; CATHY & GORDON ILLG/JAYNES GALLERY/DANITADELIMONT.COM/ADOBE STOCK canyon, building rock shelters in shallow alcoves below the rim. Their cliff dwellings are well pre-served, and some can be entered. They survived by farming pockets of soil atop the canyon rim. Why the Sinagua abandoned their homes remains unclear, but it is believed they were eventually assimilated into Hopi culture. Overlooking Roosevelt Lake, Tonto National Monument showcas-es two distinctive Salado cliff dwellings. Built in natural caves on the flanks of the Superstition Mountains, the structures date back more than 700 years. The Salado people were known for their artistic flair, producing exquisite pottery and intricate textiles. Artifacts from the site are on display in the visitor center. The Lower Cliff Dwelling is open year-round. The larger Upper Cliff Dwelling is accessible only by guided tours November through April. Operated by the Bureau of Land Management, Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground sits amid a lonely stretch of desert, northwest of Gila Bend. Some 800 petroglyphs are carved into a cluster of basalt boulders stacked atop a granite outcropping. The art is thought to be remnants of the Hohokam culture that existed in the area from about AD 350 to 1400. Look for human figures, animals, sun symbols, concentric circles, spirals and mazes. Signs provide historic and cultural information. Campers will enjoy desert quiet and star-laden skies. Navajo National Monument protects remarkably preserved Ancestral Puebloan dwellings dating back centuries. Built in a cavernous alcove in the canyon wall, Betatakin was occupied in the late 13th century. Advance reservations are required to make the 17-mile round-trip hike to Keet Seel, the largest cliff dwelling in Arizona. Sheltered by a massive rock overhang, Keet Seel is considered to be the most intact large site in the Southwest, looking very much like inhabitants left it 700 years ago. Granaries, pottery, petroglyphs, timbers and corncobs give archeologists a glimpse into the distant past. Tucked away amid the colorful badlands of the Petrified Forest National Park , Newspaper Rock displays headlines from centuries ago. More than 650 petroglyphs, some dating back 2,000 years, are spread across several rock faces. Such a high concentration of rock art marks this as a special place. One look at the rolling grasslands punctuated by petrified logs seamed with color and desert hills painted in sunset hues and you know they were right. LEARN MORE AT VISITARIZONA.COM/ EXPERIENCES/ARTS-CULTURE/ AMERICAN-INDIAN. 19
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2021-22: Page 19
