Kansas Museums with Artifacts

Legal issues

The question of whether a museum can hold or display American Indian items often hinges on whether the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) applies to the institution. NAGPRA, the primary federal law governing the repatriation and treatment of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and items of cultural patrimony, applies to any institution or state/local government agency that possesses or has control over Native American cultural items and receives federal funds. Under NAGPRA and its 204 regulation updates, these institutions must inventory their American Indian collections, consult with lineal descendants and affiliated tribes about the items, and return them when a valid request is made. If a museum is privately funded and receives no federal grants, contracts, or financial assistance (even indirectly through a parent organization), it is generally not legally bound by NAGPRA.

How are ways a museum may be federally funded? A museum might believe it is NAGPRA exempt, but under NAGPRA, "receiving federal funds" includes being part of a university, city government, or state agency that receives federal funds (even if the museum itself does not); receiving a single federal grant (like from the National Endowment for the Arts or National Endowment for the Humanities) in the past; or Covid-19 funds such as CARES Act or PPP loans. Even if not federally funded, other laws may apply regardless of federal funding status, e.g., the Archaeological Resources Protection and the Native American Cultural Heritage Protection Act make it illegal to traffic in items that were stolen from Tribal or federal lands. If an item was obtained illegally, the museum does not have clear title to it, and displaying it could lead to legal action. In addition, the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Directors standards require consultation with tribal authorities about the display of items.

What items may be legally required to be returned? NAGPRA includes human remains; objects buried with an individual; sacred objects (a specific ceremonial object needed by a traditional religious leader to practice traditional religion or healing); and objects of cultural patrimony (an object that has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance such as pottery, weapons, baskets that no individual had the right to sell or give away).

What items are permissible to stay on display? Exhibits co-curated with local tribes and representing native perspectives as well as items with clear history of ownership to ensure they were not taken from graves nor a tribe or family are permissable.

Who makes the determination? The determination of what objects are sacred, patrimonial or funerary are up to tribal nations, rather than the institutions themselves.

Who should these items be returned? Lineal descendants and any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States because of their status.

How long do institutions have to update inventories of human remains and associated funerary objects? January 10, 2029. However, if a private institution starts receiving federal funds for the first time, it has five years from the date of receiving those funds to comply with the inventory.

Learn more with the Kansas Museum Association NAGPRA resources.

Kansas museums with American Indian Artifacts 1

Image: Otoe-Missouria item from the Doll House Museum in Marysville, that closed in 2021.

Many museums in Kansas have American Indian artifacts. Visit the following museums and know that several other museums also have tribal artifacts of interest.

Appanoose Area Museum. 600 Shawnee Road, Pomona.
Atchison County Historical Museum. Amongst the displays tracing the history of the area are arrowheads from Mississippian, Woodland, and Archaic periods; full-groove axe; beaded items; tools, pottery; Indian settlement graphics, etc. 200 South 10th Street, Atchison.
Augusta Historical Museum. Promotions claim, “You will find our arrowhead collection to be one of the most interesting in the state.” 303 State Street, Augusta.
Butler County History Society. Pottery sherds, knives, projectile points, adze, awls, obsidian flakes, grinding pot, and informational wall exhibit.
Coffey County Museum. Stone tools, projectile points, rock tool samples, Munkers' axes, drum. 1101 Neosho Street, Burlington.
Coronado-Quivira Museum. Stone tools and trade items of the early Wichita. 105 W Lyon St, Lyons.
Douglass Historical Museum. Stone implements, projectile points, and displays. 318 South Forrest, Douglass.
Fort Hays State Historic Site. Displays and artifacts. 1472 US Highway 183 Alt, Hays.
Geary County Historical Society and Museum. Display of Plains Indian artifacts. 530 North Adams Street, Junction City.
Grant County Adobe Museum. High Plains Indian artifacts with encampment and petroglyph samples. 300 East Oklahoma Avenue, Ulysses.
Grinter Place. Home of Delaware Annie Grinter with some Delaware items. 1420 S 78 St, Kansas City, Kansas.
Indian Pay Station Historic Site and Museum. Built in 1857, this small stone structure served as the office for the Potawatomie Indian Agency. 111 East Mission, St. Marys.
Johnson County Museum. 8788 Metcalf, Overland Park.
Johnston Geology Museum. Stone artifacts, including stone projectile points, grindstones, hammers, axe and hatchet blades, spades, hoes, scrapers, drills, knives, polishing stones, and decorative ornaments. Also on display are rock and flaking techniques used to make these tools. Earth Science Department, Division of Physical Sciences, Emporia State University.
Kansas Museum of History. 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka. Dwellings, artifacts, and images.
Kansas Oil Museum. 383 East Central Ave, El Dorado.
Kauffman Museum. Substantial exhibit space is devoted to a ceremonial fan, tobacco pipe, pipe bag, war bonnet, shield, drum, rattles, burial figurines, etc., belonging to Cheyenne, Sioux, Zuni, Toltec, and others. 2801 North Main Street, Newton.
Kearny County Museum. 111 South Buffalo St, Lakin.
Kiowa County Museum. 320 S Main Street. Greensburg.
Legler Barn Museum Complex. Drum and original painting of Na-Nex-Se, Lenexa's Shawnee namesake. 14907 West 87th Street, Lenexa.
La Cygne Historical Society Museum. Miami tribe artifacts. 300 North Broadway, La Cygne.
Last Indian Raid Museum. Arrowheads, written recollections of Cheyenne raid by people who lived here at the time, bullet that killed a Cheyenne during the raid, plus fishhooks, grinding stones and pipes. 258 South Penn, Oberlin.
Mitchell County Historical Society Museum. Several collections are housed here. 1915 North Independence Avenue, Beloit.
Old Depot Museum. Osage, Kansa, and Sioux exhibits, including feather headdress, pipe bag, moccasins, and dance ornament made of horse mane. 135 West Tecumseh, Ottawa.
Pratt County Historical Museum. 208 South Ninnescah, Pratt.
Rock Creek Valley Historical Society main museum building. 507 Burkman Street, Westmoreland.
Roniger Memorial Museum. Includes large collection of arrowheads. 315 Union Street, Cottonwood Falls.
Santa Fe Trail Museum. 1349 K-156 Hiway, Larned.
Sheridan County Historical Society Museum. 1224 Oak Avenue, Hoxie.
Sternberg Museum. Craft examples and ceremonial dress. Fort Hays State University, 3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays.
Swan River Museum. Projectile points and stone implements. 12 East Peoria, Paola.
Wabaunsee County Historical Society and Museum. Early 20th century artifacts collected in the county consists of points, blades, hatchets, scrapers, celts, drills, implements and core stored in 43 boxes. 227 Missouri Avenue, Alma.