Affeldt Mion Museum at La Posada Information

Located near historic U.S. Route 66 in the heart of Winslow, Arizona, the Affeldt Mion Musuem supports Native arts programming that highlights creativity, cultural continuity and community connection. Through exhibitions, workshops and public programs, the organization creates opportunities for Native artists to share their work and perspectives with visitors and local audiences alike.

Programming features artists from Native Nations and communities across the Southwest, showcasing a range of artistic expression that includes jewelry, painting, mixed media and storytelling. These works reflect both personal and collective relationships to land, language and identity, shaped by the high desert landscapes of northern Arizona.

Wide skies, open terrain and a strong sense of place add to the experience, encouraging visitors to slow down and engage more deeply with the art on display. Emphasizing living Native creativity, the museum shows how art continues to evolve while remaining grounded in tradition and community values, offering visitors meaningful cultural engagement in a Route 66 town. The museum was originally called the Winslow Arts Trust Museum and was renamed in 2023.

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Master Weaver: Julia Bah Joe (Navajo) | Co-Weaver: Lillie Joe Hill (Navajo)

In 1932, master weaver Julia Bah Joe and daughter Lillie Joe Hill of Lower Greasewood, Arizona, embarked on a remarkable journey to create “The World’s Largest Navajo Rug” for Lorenzo Hubbell Jr.’s trading post in Winslow, Arizona. During the Great Depression, Hubbell sought to attract customers to his business and recognized the potential draw of a monumental rug. He commissioned the Joe family, who had long provided large rugs to Hubbell Trading Posts, to transform this idea into a reality. With the support of Julia’s husband Sam and daughters Emma, Mary, and Helen, alongside the Kin ł ichii’nii (Red House) Clan, Julia and Lillie spent the next five years focused on achieving that goal.

Diyogí Tsoh is the largest known traditionally made Navajo (Diné) Rug. The rug does not use commercially produced wool, but rather hand-carded, dyed, and spun wool from family sheep. It is on exhibit at Affeldt Mion Museum, thanks to a long-term loan from the Winslow Arts Trust. The Big Rug was returned to Winslow in 2012 thanks to Allan Affeldt and Tina Mion after many years in storage. You can come visit the Big Rug located at La Posada Hotel.

Descendants of Julia Joe gathered before The Big Rug opened for public

When planning the opening for The Big Rug exhibit, we all agreed the descendants of weaver Julia Joe should have a private gathering before we opened to the public. We wanted them to spend time with this extraordinary textile created more than ninety years ago by “the grandmothers.” Julia Joe—the master weaver who wove The Big Rug along with daughter Lillie Joe Hill, the Greasewood community and the Kin ł ichii’nii clan—had eight children: Herbert, Daniel, Lillie, Erma (Emma), Helen, Nancy, Mary, and Kee John. (see more..)