Southwest Museum of the American Indian
Museum Museum of Native American art and cultural history
In Los Angeles’s Mount Washington, the Southwest Museum of the American Indian houses extensive Native American collections assembled by Charles Lummis. Visitors come for indigenous art, ethnographic objects and the museum’s mission‑style building.
The Southwest Museum of the American Indian is located in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles and was founded by Charles Fletcher Lummis in 1907. The institution built a distinctive early 20th-century museum building and amassed an extensive collection of Native American artifacts.
The museum historically functioned as a major repository for Native American art, archaeology, and ethnography from the Southwest and beyond, housed within a Mission Revival / Spanish Colonial style structure. Over time the museum’s collections were placed under the stewardship of the Autry Museum of the American West, which manages and cares for the holdings.
Charles Lummis established the museum to preserve and interpret indigenous and regional cultural materials; the Mount Washington building has since been the subject of preservation and conservation efforts while access to the original site has been limited.
Sited in the foothills north of downtown Los Angeles, the museum building occupies a hillside location in the Mount Washington district, overlooking parts of northeast Los Angeles.
- Founding: Founded in 1907 by Charles Fletcher Lummis, the museum assembled a large collection of Native American artifacts and ethnographic material over the 20th century.
How to Get to Southwest Museum of the American Indian #
From downtown Los Angeles: take the 110 Freeway north and exit on Avenue 26 or drive up Figueroa Street into Highland Park and follow signs to Mount Washington. Public transit: Metro Gold Line (L Line) to Highland Park station, then a short Lyft/Uber or a 15-20 minute bus/taxi uphill; local buses serve Museum Drive on occasion.
Tips for Visiting Southwest Museum of the American Indian #
- Approach the Southwest Museum building from Museum Drive and the Mt. Washington side to appreciate the landscaped terraces and tile work that most fleeting visitors miss.
- Look up at the decorative tiles and carved stone-there are inscriptions in several indigenous languages and names of donors from the early 20th century.
- Check the Autry Museum's website for special access or guided tours; the building has had changing hours and conservation access since 2001.
Best Time to Visit Southwest Museum of the American Indian #
Best visited in cooler months when hillside trails are accessible and conservation-related closures are least likely.
Weather & Climate near Southwest Museum of the American Indian #
Southwest Museum of the American Indian's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Mediterranean - Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with warm summers (peaking in August) and cool winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 7°C to 32°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall with a pronounced dry season.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 20°C and lows of 7°C. Regular rainfall (94 mm).
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February
February is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 8°C. The wettest month with 100 mm of rain.
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March
March is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 9°C. Regular rainfall (81 mm).
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April
April is cool with highs of 24°C and lows of 10°C. Light rainfall.
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May
May is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 12°C. Almost no rain.
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June
June is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 15°C. Almost no rain.
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July
July is mild with highs of 31°C and lows of 16°C. The driest month with just 1 mm.
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August
August is the warmest month with highs of 32°C and lows of 17°C. Almost no rain.
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September
September is mild with highs of 30°C and lows of 16°C. Almost no rain.
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October
October is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 13°C. Light rainfall.
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November
November is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (42 mm).
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December
December is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 7°C. Moderate rainfall (56 mm).
