Southwest Museum of the American Indian
- Museum
- In Los Angeles, California
- 0.1 mi from Route 66
Los Angeles's Southwest Museum of the American Indian stands in the Mount Washington neighborhood, less than a mile off the old road. It has closed for good: the museum shut its doors permanently in September 2022. For more than a century it held collections on Native American life and Western art, and its hillside building above the Arroyo Seco is protected as a National Treasure and a city landmark. Today it is a place to view from outside.
What is Southwest Museum of the American Indian?
The building sits on the hillside over the northwest bank of the Arroyo Seco, the canyon and stream that cuts through this part of Los Angeles. Architect Sumner Hunt designed it, and it opened in 1907 as a museum, library and archive.
Its holdings focused on Native Americans, with major groups of material from the Great Plains, California and the Northwest Coast. It also kept art and objects from the pre-Hispanic and Spanish colonial eras, plus Latino and Western American pieces.
History of Southwest Museum of the American Indian
The Autry Museum first owned the Southwest Museum and later absorbed it. Most of the collections were moved elsewhere, and together the two institutions rank second in the nation for Indigenous art and objects, behind only the Smithsonian.
One unusual feature was a long tunnel from an entrance on Museum Drive, once lined with dioramas, which led to an elevator up to the lower lobby. The Autry took the dioramas out and put them in storage. The museum's doors closed for good in 2022, but the building keeps its listing on the National Register of Historic Places and its status as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
Visiting Southwest Museum of the American Indian: tips
There are no exhibits to see here now, so plan a short look from the street rather than a museum visit. The Metro A Line has a station named for the museum at the bottom of the hill, which is a handy way to see the building without driving.
For an indoor stop nearby, Heritage Square Museum is about 0.9 miles away. Rio de Los Angeles State Park, about 1.7 miles away, and the Arroyo Seco, about 1.9 miles away, are good outdoor options. The Autry Museum, which absorbed the Southwest Museum, is the place to learn about the collections today.
Practical info
- Hours
- Closed permanently
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
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Questions about Southwest Museum of the American Indian
Is the Southwest Museum still open?
No. It shut permanently in September 2022. The historic building can still be seen from outside.
Where did the Southwest Museum's collections go?
The museum became part of the Autry Museum, and most of the collections were moved off-site.
Who designed the Southwest Museum building?
Architect Sumner Hunt. The museum dates from 1907.
Own or run Southwest Museum of the American Indian? Send us a photo or a correction.