Indian Craft Shop

The Indian Craft Shop, located inside The Department of the Interior, has been representing quality and authenticity in American Indian arts and crafts since 1938. The shop opened shortly after the Indian Arts and Crafts Board was established in order to provide an outlet for American Indian artists to market their crafts. Murals created by two legendary American Indian artists grace the walls of the Spanish Colonial styled room. Allan Ha-oz-ous (better known as Allan Houser), the late Apache artist who became world-renowned for his sculpture, painted a mural depicting a buffalo hunt on the north wall. The late Navajo artist Gerald Nailor painted the south wall mural depicting a deer hunt. This charming shop is now under historical preservation.

The Indian Craft Shop has developed a national reputation for carrying a diverse selection of authentic American Indian arts and crafts. Over 45 tribal groups within the United States are represented. The shop offers quality to the novice as well as the collector - fulfilling part of its mission to build widespread appreciation for the skill and time involved in the crafts and the continuation of artistry through today's generation. Crafts from emerging artists are featured as well as pieces from some of today's award-winning and well-noted artists.

Craft areas represented in the shop include pottery, jewelry, quill and beadwork, kachinas, sculpture, weavings, basketry, sandpaintings, fetish carvings, Alaskan crafts/carvings as well as miscellaneous craft items. The shop also boasts an extensive selection of books about American Indian arts and crafts. The staff of The Indian Craft Shop enjoys sharing their knowledge of the arts and crafts and will easily turn your visit into an educational and enjoyable one.

The Interior Museum, the Duck Stamp Office, the Earth Science Information Center (Map Store), and the National Park Service public information office are additional places to visit while at the Department of the Interior headquarters building. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building features dozens of 1930s-era murals commissioned by the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. Tour reservations are needed to view the majority of murals as they are in limited-access areas. For information on building tours, please contact the Department of the Interior Museum at (202) 208-4743. There is also a public cafeteria located on the lower level, which serves breakfast and lunch. In the cafeteria, murals painted in 1939 by Kiowa artists Stephen Mopope and James Auchiah span the arches of the ceiling.

Happy New Year! We hope your holiday season was a joyous one. We want to start our year by thanking you for your continued support of American Indian Art! We look forward to another year of tradition and innovation by Indian artists across the country

Don't miss The Indian Craft Shop's Annual Sale! For those of you who have been shopping with us for years, you know this is a great time to visit and find a special treasure at a special price. The sale is our way of thanking our customers for their appreciation of American Indian art.

Jewelry, pottery, Katsina dolls, basketry, fetishes, dolls, rugs, beadwork, works from Alaska, sculptures and more will be discounted from 10% to 50% off. Calendars, holiday cards and selected ornaments will be 50% off. Be sure to check out the "Bargain Corner" for even greater discounts. Look for the colored dots and our coded signs for discounts. All discounted items are final sales. We are not able to hold sale items, but layaways can be arranged!

Take advantage of this once a year tradition, because all items return to their normal prices after the sale.

The Indian Craft Shop has one of the best collections of books on American Indian arts. Books are separated into the craft areas: Jewelry, Weaving/Textiles, Pottery, Basketry, Fetishes, Katsina Dolls, Painting/Sculpture, Designs, Dolls, Sandpainting, Alaska/Northwest Coast, Beadwork, Cooking and more. We offer children’s books by American Indian authors/illustrated by American Indian artists

Lewis and Clark Revisited: A Trail in Modern Day America, Photography by Greg MacGregor (9/30/05-2/28/06), black and white images of the famous expedition’s route, documented by the artist in the 1990s.

The Power of Context: National Park Service Museums at 100 Years (2/3/05-2/10/06), artifacts include Chief Red Cloud’s buckskin shirt with intricate porcupine quillwork, and the world’s first tin foil phonograph created by Thomas Edison.

America’s Beautiful National Parks: Contemporary and Historical Photography (11/9/05-2/10/06).

Tours of 1930s-era Murals at the Main Interior Building (reservation two weeks in advance), led by museum staff highlights work of American Indian artists and others. For reservations, call (202) 208-4659. The Interior Museum is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and the third Saturday of the month, 1 – 4 pm, with the exception of Federal holidays.