Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

New Mexico’s oldest private nonprofit museum was founded in 1937 by intrepid, Boston-born Mary Cabot Wheelwright, who had a lifelong interest in religion and Native American culture. In 1921 she was introduced to a Navajo singer and medicine man named Hastiin Klah, and together they set out to create a public space with collections focusing on the Navajo, the Rio Grande Pueblos and other native peoples of New Mexico. Today, the Wheelwright is housed in an octagonal building whose layout was inspired by the hogan (hooghan in Navajo), the traditional Navajo home. The often-changing exhibitions are small but excellent. The Case Trading Post is located in the basement, and sells some of the finest silver jewelry in Santa Fe.