California Indian Heritage Center

California Indian Heritage Center
Name	California Indian Heritage Center
Established	2021
Location	Sacramento, California
Type	Cultural center, museum
Director	Donna Billick (interim)

Contents

California Indian Heritage Center is a state-run cultural center and museum focused on the histories and contemporary cultures of Indigenous peoples of California, including tribal nations of the Central Valley, Coastal California, Sierra Nevada, Southern California, and North Coast. The center serves as a venue for tribal governments, scholars from University of California, Davis, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley, and community organizations such as the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, Native American Heritage Commission, and the Autry Museum of the American West to present Indigenous perspectives alongside collections from institutions like the California State Archives and the State of California Natural Resources Agency.

History

The project traces origins to legislation passed by the California State Legislature and initiatives led by the Native American Heritage Commission and advocates from tribes including the Yurok Tribe, Maidu, Yokut, Miwok, Hupa, Pomo, Ohlone, Chumash, and Tongva Nation. Planning involved consultants from SmithGroup, collaboration with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and review by scholars affiliated with Sacramento State University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Groundbreaking followed agreements between the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Indian Heritage Center Foundation, with input from tribal leaders who invoked precedents set by the National Museum of the American Indian and repatriation protocols influenced by Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act discussions. Public opening ceremonies included representatives from the Governor of California, tribal chairpersons, legislators from the California State Assembly, and cultural leaders from the California Arts Council.

The center’s mission statement was developed with participation from tribes, cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, legal advisers from the Native American Rights Fund, and academics from University of California, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, and Mills College. Governance features a board with appointees from the California Natural Resources Agency, tribal representatives from entities including the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and Hoopa Valley Tribe, and liaisons to state offices like the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the California State Library. Policy frameworks align with guidelines from the National Congress of American Indians and consultative practices used by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.

Architectural design was led by firms with experience on projects for the Smithsonian Institution Building, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Getty Center. Facilities include a main exhibition hall, a gathering plaza modeled on village plazas used by the Chumash and Pomo, a community commons inspired by designs at Autry Museum of the American West, conservation labs equipped to standards advised by the American Alliance of Museums, and a research library drawing on collections from the Bancroft Library and the California State Archives. Landscape design incorporates plants prioritized by tribal partners including the Yurok and Karuk and references restoration work undertaken by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Permanent galleries present objects, stories, and multimedia co-curated with tribal nations including the Miwok, Chumash, Tongva Nation, Tlingit, Hupa, Aleut, and Maidu. Collections include basketry associated with artisans from the Pomo and Cahuilla, coastal fishing implements connected to the Yurok and Yurok Tribe’s marine stewardship, and contemporary art by Native artists featured at institutions such as the Gallery of Native American Art. Traveling exhibitions draw partnerships with the National Museum of the American Indian, the Autry Museum of the American West, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and university museums including the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Conservation and accession policies were informed by protocols from the National Park Service and the California Office of Historic Preservation.

Educational programming involves K–12 outreach coordinated with the California Department of Education, teacher workshops developed with the California Historical Society and curriculum advisors from University of California, Berkeley, university seminars in partnership with Sacramento State University and UC Davis Extension, and public lecture series featuring researchers from the American Anthropological Association and curators from the Autry Museum of the American West. Language revitalization initiatives collaborate with speakers and linguists from communities such as the Ohlone, Miwok, Karuk, Hupa, and Yurok and incorporate models used by the California Indian Education for All programs. Artist residencies bring practitioners affiliated with the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and the First Peoples Fund.

The center functions as a hub for repatriation and stewardship, coordinating with tribal governments including the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Yurok Tribe, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, Maidu Summit Consortium, and agencies like the Native American Heritage Commission and the California State Lands Commission. Repatriation practices reflect consultation procedures modeled after the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and collaborations with federal entities such as the National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution for objects held by national collections. Partnerships extend to museums and universities including the Bishop Museum, the Peabody Museum, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley for joint stewardship agreements and research projects.

Located on state land near the California State Capitol in Sacramento, California, the center is accessible from transit hubs such as the Sacramento Regional Transit District light rail and bus corridors and via regional connections including Interstate 5 and U.S. Route 50. Visitor services provide multilingual materials reflecting communities including the Yurok, Miwok, Ohlone, and Chumash and coordinate events with regional partners such as the Sacramento Convention Center and the California State Railroad Museum.

Category:Museums in Sacramento County, California Category:Native American museums in California