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Why is Native American art housed at the Natural History Museum and not at the Metropolitan (NY)?

I recently visited New York for the first time and went to several museums. The Metropolitan Museum was the first, and seeing as it was so big and had art from so many civilizations around the world, I assumed it would also contain Native American art, which I was particularly curious to see because, as a European, I have almost never come in contact with it. But I was disappointed to find there didn't seem to be any.

Then, a few days later, I went to the American Museum of Natural History. And lo and behold, I found my Native American art housed there.

Isn't this like, SPECTACULARLY racist and demeaning to Native Americans, that their art and culture is not presented at the Met alongside the rest of the world cultures, but in the AMNH, alongside stuffed animals? Is this an issue that is ever raised? Does it make anyone uncomfortable (as it did to me)?

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  • 8 years ago
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    http://nmai.si.edu/visit/newyork/

    Racist? No. Each museum works independently to acquire its own collection and the Met apparently did not choose to as there are many other outlets in NYC, including a whole musrum dedicated to Native Americans. I guess that if you were more interested you would have known that.

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