The NMAI in Washington D.C. is a massive collaborative projects among Indians throughout the Americas. The museum corrects stereotypes and misconceptions while explaining their history and culture.
The building rises like a massive stone dwelling in some native civilization. The garden landscaping turns to waterfalls and ponds that interact with the stone. The cafe offers a great view of water cascades with a line of trees and then government buildings in the background. One enters into a sort of American Pantheon with layers of of white stone circles, similar to the layers of exterior stone. This room, complete with an oculus at the top, has historical religious significance in American architecture. The building respects solar arrangement in other ways as well.
Like the typical temple, this building represents and details the mini-universe of a society and the individual. The plaza records lunar events, and exhibits and stage plays demonstrate the paradigm of cultures’ physical, historical, and religious realm. Architects: Douglas Cardinal, GBQC Architects, Johnpaul Jones. Completed: 2004.
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