National Geographic News has some interesting pages about the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Native by design, it incorporated suggestions from Native Americans throughout North, Central, and South America. Most people said they wanted the museum to have an organic and handcrafted quality to it, and for its forms to be inspired by nature and set in native landscaping. For example, the east face features an overhang that evokes rock formations of the U.S. Southwest. This newest of the Smithsonian Institution’s eighteen museums opens next Tuesday.

Have a look at the photo gallery and visit the many links. Another NG article, concerning the exhibits, Artifacts Are “Alive” has more interesting reading and also has some more photos.

And this sounds very exciting: 20,000 American Indians are planning a march to the opening.

(This museum reminds me of the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, BC, which was inspired by the Northwest Coast native longhouses.)