| Dear Museum Friends,
As July heats up, I invite you to visit our newest exhibition, Shifting Life Zones. This thought-provoking show explores how rising temperatures impact plant life across northern Arizona, the birthplace of the life zone concept. Through indoor and outdoor displays, an interactive map, and insights from MNA scientists, you’ll discover how climate change is reshaping landscapes.
Summer is such a busy and lively time at the Museum. There’s something for everyone with Thirsty Thursdays, garden tours, Easton Collection Center tours, and our 2025 exhibitions alongside our galleries of perennial visitor favorites. In addition, we are welcoming kids to Discovery Camps this month. These popular day camps bring energy, creativity, and learning to MNA’s campus.
Last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to the artists, performers, and guests who made our June Heritage Festival of Arts and Culture so special. This annual celebration of Indigenous cultures uplifts our community year after year.
Stay cool! I look forward to seeing you, your friends, and your family at the Museum.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona |
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Congratulations Festival Art Winners!
We were honored to have hundreds of entries to the Juried Art Competition at this year’s Heritage Festival. Pictured is the Best of Show winner, which also took first place in the jewelry category. By Diné artist Trent Lee-Anderson, this Old Style Squash Blossom Necklace is made with Bisbee Turquoise. Our congratulations to all the winning entries, and our thanks to all the Indigenous artists who entered the competition. The judges were amazed by this year’s collection of entries. |
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Enjoy live music, food, drinks, and fun in MNA’s Jaime Major Golightly Courtyard. There are two upcoming Thirsty Thursdays: July 10 featuring Jacqui Foreman and August 14 with the Sean Golightly Trio. Fare from Pizzicletta will be available for purchase. Admission is $8 for Museum members, $18 for non-members, free for children under 10. Purchase tickets online or at the door. See our events page for full details and tickets. |
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Attention All Northern Arizona Educators
We are excited to welcome educators—teachers, administrators, assistants, counselors—to our Educators Night Out at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Explore MNA galleries and exhibits, check out our field trip activities, touch tables, and school tour funding opportunities. The event is free. No registration required; just show up August 20 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Bring your family, educator friends, and your curiousity. We’ll have free snacks and cash bar. We can’t wait to meet you. |
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Easton Collection Center Open House
Save the date! Our Easton Collection Center Open House is August 23. See fossilized plants, delicate herbarium specimens, baskets woven with plant fibers, and fine art celebrating the diverse landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. You’ll encounter a rich variety of objects from across our collections that focus on the theme: Plants and Pollinators. Curators and staff will be on hand to share stories, research, and surprising connections between the natural world and human creativity. |
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Easton Collection Center Tours
We’ve expanded access to our behind-the-scenes tour—now offered every month. Join us for an exclusive experience where you’ll explore the impressive Easton Collection Center and get a closer look at MNA’s extraordinary collections of cultural artifacts, natural specimens, and fine art. Led by experienced guides, this tour offers art and cultural enthusiasts an up-close view of pottery, jewelry, paintings, weavings, historic artifacts, and more. Spaces are limited. Register today to secure your spot! |
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Open through April 30, 2026
Shifting Life Zones invites visitors to explore the transformations unfolding across northern Arizona landscapes. This region, where the concept of life zones originated, is a prime example of how zones are shifting with climate changes. The exhibit unveils the shifting boundaries of plant life as they adapt to a warming world and points to changes here on the Museum’s campus and across the broader region. |
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Open through January 4, 2026
Highlighting newer MNA acquisitions, this exhibit explores the stories behind the additions and reveals how they contribute to advancing knowledge, preserving heritage, and shaping future exhibits. Some objects are visually striking, others are less conspicuous yet hold value for their scientific or cultural significance. The show includes pottery, kachinas, paintings, natural specimens, and more. |
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Poetry Maps
Open through October 27, 2025
Showcasing fine art from our collections and poems from our community, the exhibition brings together many viewpoints, expressed in visual art and verse. These paintings and poems serve as a map through place and time, revealing perspectives that form a collective connection to the extraordinary landscapes and people of the Colorado Plateau. |
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Rena Charles (Diné) creates these handmade aprons from the original cotton sacks holding Blue Bird Flour—a staple on the Colorado Plateau. Prized for its high gluten content, Blue Bird is the preferred flour for making tortillas, frybread, and baked goods. Based in Cameron, Ariz., Rena is also known for her beaded jewelry. Shop her aprons and other authentic Native American art in the Museum Gift Shop or at shopmusnaz.org. Proceeds support the Indigenous artists and the Museum of Northern Arizona. |
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