How to Tour the National Museum of the American Indian

Americans believe in many stereotypes when it comes to Native Americans. To discover different native cultures past and present, visit the National Museum of the American Indian, which opened in 2004 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A visit to this museum may do much towards shedding light on native populations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find the building at Fourth Street and Independence Avenue, between the Capitol Building and the National Air and Space Museum. You can reach it by taking the Blue, Orange, Green or Yellow metro lines to the L'Enfant station and going out via the Maryland Avenue exit. The museum is open every day except for Christmas, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.

2. Explore the grounds, which include native sculptures, over 33,000 plants indigenous to the Chesapeake region (of which Washington is a part), trees, a wetland, cascades, an outdoor theater and over 40 "Grandfather Rocks." The building has curving and undulating stone walls that look like part of a Southwestern canyon.

3. Enter on the Third Avenue side if you're a regular visitor. Tour groups go in on the Independence side. The first thing you'll see if the circular Potomac atrium, where special events are often held. The visitor information desk is off to the left. To the upper left are the elevators and in the upper right is a gift shop featuring native handicrafts. Straight ahead is a huge carving called "The Beaver and the Mink." Beyond this is the group orientation room, a café and the Rasmuson Theater, which shows a short film on modern Native American life.

4. Take an elevator to Level Two. The chief features here are a museum store featuring more traditional souvenirs than can be found downstairs, a lounge and an exhibition on the Indians of the Chesapeake region.

5. Proceed next to Level Three. The "Our Lives" exhibition room continues with the theme of modern Native American life, while "Windows on Collections" is an interactive display of some of the museum's holdings. There is also a large room for temporary exhibitions on this floor, as well as educational workshops and a high tech Resource Center, where visitors can research Native American topics, genealogy and artifacts.

6. Finish on Level Four, where there are conference rooms, a patron's lounge, another "Windows on Collections" display, the Lewawi Theater and the "Our Peoples" gallery, which showcases native religions and beliefs as well as Native American history.