The ASU Museum of Art is a renowned institution that has been in existence since 1950. Located at the Nelson Fine Arts Center, designed by architect Antoine Predock, the museum boasts an impressive 49,700 square feet with five exhibition spaces and a collection of over 12,000 items. Its areas of focus include contemporary art, crafts, prints, art of the Southwest, and art of the Americas. The museum also features a library, a conference room, a printing study room, a courtyard, a museum store, and outdoor sculptural spaces.
Caring for such a large collection requires constant attention to ensure that the artifacts and specimens are preserved for future generations of scientific researchers. Some parts of the museum were designed by architect Bennie Gonzales, who also designed the Scottsdale City Hall. The Heard Museum Guild's Indigenous Fair and Market is an annual juried art fair and festival that has been held since 1958. The Heard Museum is a private non-profit museum located in Phoenix, Arizona (United States), dedicated to the advancement of Native American art. The ASU Art Museum also manages the Ceramics Research Center, located inside the Brickyard at 699 South Mill Avenue.
It is open Thursday through Saturday starting at 11 in the morning. The mission of the Heard Museum is to be a world-renowned institution for the presentation, interpretation, and promotion of Native American art, emphasizing its intersection with broader artistic and cultural issues. From its humble beginnings as a small museum in a small town in the Southwest, Heard has grown to become internationally recognized for its quality collections, educational programming, and festivals. The Heard Museum collaborates with American Indian artists and tribal communities to offer visitors an insightful perspective on native peoples' art, particularly from the Southwest. Much of the archaeological material in the Heards collection comes from The City – an indigenous ruin that was purchased by the Heards in 1926 on 19th and Polk Streets in Phoenix. The judges for this competition come from various backgrounds such as experienced artists, museum curators, gallery directors, and art collectors.
The Heard Museum's current collection consists of more than 40,000 items including a library and archives with over 34,000 volumes. Scottsdale is home to some of the most impressive museums and research centers in Arizona. From ASU's Museum of Art to Heard Museum Guild's Indigenous Fair and Market to Ceramics Research Center at ASU Art Museum – these institutions are dedicated to preserving artifacts and specimens for future generations while providing visitors with an insightful perspective on Native American art.
