Native Arts in Miniature

Miniature art, as we know it today, has been part of many Native American communities for well over a century. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that some forms, for example, Native-made pottery, were produced by multiple cultures at least a thousand years ago. Archeologists and cultural historians theorize that ancient miniature artworks served a variety of purposes (gift-giving, presentations, training children in traditional arts). While we may never be able to definitively state why miniatures were made in ancient cultures, we can better understand the purposes of miniatures made over the last century.

The Native-made objects are different from fine-scale miniatures as defined elsewhere in the museum. The Native approach to miniatures is grounded in different traditions that will be explored in the exhibition.

Many miniatures were made for commerce or trade. In 1922, the first Indian Market was started in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to provide a space for Native peoples to sell their artwork, both full-size and miniature. Originally an event for people of the Pueblos, today the Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA) includes over 1,000 artists from over 200 tribes located throughout the United States and Canada.

The precursor of the first market was the Southwest Pavilion display at the San Diego World’s Fair in 1915, which featured the work of San Ildefonso potters Maria and Julian Martinez. These early events had non-Native people setting prices and selling the artwork to the public, who didn’t interact with the Native artists. In 1931, the Southwest Indian Fair (precursor to today’s SWAIA) was held under the Portal of the Palace of Governors, and for the first time, artists interacted with and sold directly to the public—a tradition that continues today

This exhibition includes miniature Native American art in a variety of media from tribes throughout North America. While most of the artwork has been made within the last fifty years, the exhibition includes a limited number of early 20th-century pieces to represent the long history of these traditions. To the extent possible, multiple generations from the same family, often working in the same medium, are represented. The work will be accompanied by video interviews highlighting the voices of artists discussing their own work.

Ticket Release Schedule for Opening Reception

Monday, December 15: Early-bird registration opens to Museum members ($5)
Friday, December 19: Registration opens to the general public ($10)

Members of federally recognized tribes can attend FREE. Email info@toyandminiaturemuseum.org or call 816.235.8000 for more information.

RECEPTION DATE

Friday, March 27, 2026
6:00-8:00PM

LOCATION

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
5235 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64112

This project is supported in part by the City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, Tepa Companies, Travois, and a generous private donor.