| Dear Museum Friends,
May is a month of growth and renewal—and we’re celebrating both here at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
International Museum Day is May 18 and we welcome everyone to the Museum with free admission all day. Enjoy hands-on activities featuring fossils, pottery, Indigenous games and arts. A heartfelt thank you to APS, our generous partner, for helping make MNA’s free admission days possible.
On May 24, come explore the beauty of the season at the annual Master Gardener Association Plant Sale and Garden Festival in the historic Colton Garden. Then, join us for the opening of our newest exhibit, Shifting Life Zones, which highlights the resilience and challenges of plant life in rapidly changing environments.
Looking ahead, I warmly invite you to our annual Party on the Plateau on June 7. This festive evening fundraiser supports MNA’s mission to celebrate and share the wonders of the Colorado Plateau with our community and beyond. Tickets are going fast; reserve yours today.
Wishing you a May filled with beauty, growth, and discovery.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona |
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Join us for MNA’s third annual Party on the Plateau on Saturday, June 7. Our signature fundraiser supports MNA’s mission to share the art, science, and culture of the magical Colorado Plateau with an ever-growing audience. The evening kicks off at 5 p.m. with drinks and appetizers on the Museum patio, followed by a delicious dinner and an evening of fundraising excitement. We’re proud to honor longtime MNA supporter Troy Gillenwater at this year’s celebration. Don’t miss an unforgettable night of community and impact. Reserve your spot today. |
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Garden Volunteer Orientation
May 3, 1-3 p.m.
Love spending time in the garden? Join our amazing MNA gardens volunteer team. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just getting started, this is the perfect time to make sure all your paperwork is complete and you’re set up in our volunteer system, Volgistics. Drop by the Branigar-Chase Discovery auditorium at the Museum on Saturday, May 3, between 1 and 3 p.m. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know. |
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May 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
It’s International Museum Day and we’re celebrating by presenting the wonders of the Colorado Plateau right at your fingertips. Hold real fossils, examine artifacts, and get up close with art and culture at Touch Tables throughout the Museum. Our friendly guides and educators will share fascinating stories about the region’s natural wonders, cultures, and history. Admission is FREE all day long. Bring your curiosity! |
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May 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Presented by the Coconino Master Gardener Association, the largest plant sale of the season brings together local growers and garden experts in one place, MNA’s historic Colton Garden. A variety of garden and house plants, starts, used tools, food and beverages will be available for purchase. Enjoy free gardening advice and fun activities for kids. Free entry and parking. No plant sales before 10 a.m. Download this map for directions to Colton Garden. |
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Immerse yourself in the vibrant artistic traditions of the Colorado Plateau at MNA’s 2025 Heritage Festival of Arts and Culture June 28-29. Featuring 100 Native American artists, this annual celebration highlights a stunning array of works from pottery to fine art, textiles to jewelry. We’re excited to welcome back the Zuni Olla Maidens with their unique dances and song. Advance ticket sales coming soon. Left: earrings by 2025 Heritage Festival artist Joseph Calabaza. |
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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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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
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 of the Colorado Plateau. |
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Closes May 4
Explore the captivating paintings of Flagstaff artist Debra Edgerton. Utilizing the microscopic imagery of local algae, Edgerton creates ethereal watercolors that serve as a metaphorical lens to explore social structures and the African American experience. Through her work, the artist examines themes of race, identity, and hierarchical relationships. |
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Opens May 24
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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This remarkable piece is handmade by prolific Zuni potter Anderson Peynetsa using traditional techniques, including hand-rolled and coiled clay and natural pigments. See this pottery and other authentic Native American works for sale in our Museum Gift Shop and online at shopmusnaz.org.All proceeds benefit the artists and the Museum of Northern Arizona. |
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