Native North American collections in the United Kingdom
The museums of the United Kingdom contain very large, and often very significant Native North American collections. An enduring legacy of the colonial and commercial reach of the British Empire, these collections cover almost every tribe and culture of the North American continent, and were often formed in the early contact period, marking them as having particular cultural significance for Indigenous communities.
The Beyond the Spectacle team is presenting here the first stage in an online guide to finding and accessing some of these collections, particularly those in smaller towns across Britain that might not otherwise be obvious to the international visitor. The pages presented here provide only a snapshot of the most important parts of these collections, with a brief overview of what the collection actually comprises. We have also provided contact details, so that interested visitors can speak to curators directly to learn more about the collections and how best to arrange access to them.
These pages will be periodically updated as our research continues. This page will also see occasional updates giving advice on how Native visitors can best ensure that their needs are met in visiting these museums, and overviews of the national collections of Native American material, considering its scope, scale and importance.