Museum of Northern Arizona Information

Located near historic U.S. Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona, the Museum of Northern Arizona sits on the high plateau beneath the San Francisco Peaks, serving as a gateway to the cultures, landscapes and stories of the Colorado Plateau. The museum highlights the enduring presence of Native Nations and communities whose homelands span northern Arizona and the broader Southwest.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA

One of the world's great regional museums, the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) preserves and celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of the Colorado Plateau. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, research, and community events, the museum fosters a deeper understanding of the region’s art, science, and people. Visitors will encounter the tribal histories, art, and values of the Diné, Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, and other Indigenous peoples of the Colorado Plateau. Rather than presenting these cultures solely through the lens of the past, the museum emphasizes continuity—demonstrating how Native communities remain deeply connected to land, language, ceremony, and creative expression today.

Galleries thoughtfully weave together archaeology, anthropology, geology, paleontology, and fine art to tell a layered regional story. Rotating exhibitions regularly highlight contemporary Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners, ensuring that present-day voices are centered alongside ancestral histories. The museum’s seasonal Heritage Festivals further animate the campus, bringing artists and community members together for celebrations, performances, and opportunities for visitors to engage directly with and purchase authentic Native and cultural artwork.

The museum's gift shop features unique, authentic handmade jewelry, pottery, weavings, and other treasures that are often acquired directly from Native artists of the region.

Surrounded by ponderosa pine forests and framed by views of the San Francisco Peaks, the museum feels intrinsically tied to the landscape it interprets. That setting reinforces a key message: the environment and the people of northern Arizona are inseparable. A place to slow down, learn, and gain a deeper understanding of the living histories that continue to shape the Colorado Plateau.

EXHIBITIONS
Wagon Road to Mother Road : November 16, 2025 – January 31, 2027
Wagon Road to Mother Road invites you to journey through America’s transformative era of road travel. This engaging exhibition traces the evolution of travel in northern Arizona from the Beale Wagon Road to Route 66 and reveals its deep imprint on landscapes, communities and highway heritage. It coincides with the Route 66 Centennial, marking 100 years since the highway’s designation on Nov. 11, 1926.

Call of the Colorado Plateau : January 25, 2026 – January 3, 2027

Shifting Like Zones : May 24, 2025 – April 30, 2026

Katsintithu – Katsina Dolls : Opened Janaury 2026

Native Peoples of the Colorado Plateau: Opened April 2018

Footprints of the Past: One of the most remarkable trackways displayed at MNA was discovered in November 2020 at a construction site nearby which is estimated to be early to middle Triassic in age (252 to 235million years).

Geology Gallery: Within the geology gallery you will journey by mural through the major eras in the development of life on earth. As you follow time labels from the Precambrian to the Cenozoic eras, illustrations portray what geologists think the region may have been like, while bones and stones in the cases exhibit the clues geologists used to understand these ancient eras.

CAMPUS TRAILS (see trails)

GARDENS at MUSEUM OF ARIZONA (see gardens)

UPCOMING EVENTS (see calendar)

CAMPUS AT MNA
Besides the inspiring exhibitions, the Museum of Northern Arizona has 200 acres of land, including gardens, trails, a library, and many historic buildings. Some of the outdoor spaces are open to the public, such as the gardens and trails. Collections areas and research laboratories occasionally offer Behind-the-Scenes tours. Other areas, including the Discovery Village and Pearson Hall, are used for public programs and private events. Highway 180 bisects the campus, with the museum building on the south side of the busy road and the other facilities to the north. When visiting the campus, please respect that you are on private land where people are working.

Easton Collection Center
Discovery Village
Administration & Library
Pearson Hall
McMillan Homestead
Powell Building (Biology)
Brady (Geology)
Anthropology
Potato Barn

MUSEUM HOURS OF OPERATION
Daily: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm most days.
Thursdays: Open until 7:00 pm for special extended hours (Twilight Thursdays), including pay-what-you-wish admission starting at 4:00 pm on those evenings.

GIFT SHOP AT MNA
The MNA Gift Shop in Flagstaff is renowned for its collection of authentic, high-quality Native American arts and crafts from the Colorado Plateau. More than half of the items are purchased directly from local artists. MNA members receive a 10% discount on selected items in the shop.

GIFT SHOP HOURS
Monday, Wednesday–Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Tuesday: Closed.

MUSEUM ADMISSION & FEES