Manhattan · NYC landmark
National Museum of the American Indian
Bowling Green · Manhattan, New York City
Visit the Smithsonian's Native American exhibitions inside the monumental former customs house at Bowling Green.
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NYFE Summary
Before it became a museum, the Custom House collected taxes on imported goods. Its decoration reflects that work. Four sculptures outside represent continents involved in world trade. Inside, shells and sea creatures appear in the ornament. Reginald Marsh's rotunda murals follow a ship entering New York Harbor.
The Smithsonian now uses these rooms for exhibitions about Native American art, history and contemporary life. The imagiNATIONS Activity Center explains Native innovations through interactive activities about science and technology. It gives visitors a way to learn how Indigenous knowledge shapes everyday life alongside the objects in the galleries.
NYFE summary from the official history and visitor sources linked below.
Plan a visit
Check the operator’s current opening, admission and access information before travelling. Historic status does not guarantee public access to every interior.
Official visitor information ↗