Arts & Culture

For nearly 10,000 years, the Great Basin has been home to a rich tapestry of cultures and peoples including the Washoe (Wa She Shu), the Northern Paiute (Numu), the Southern Paiute (Nuwu), and the Western Shoshone (Newe). Today, their stories and craftwork are easily discovered and appreciated in cultural centers, galleries, museums, and gift shops around the state.

Carson City

The Great Basin Native Artists (GBNA) is a Southwest-based group committed to discovering Native artists and presenting their work to the public. The organization also collects historic and modern works of the Great Basin’s Indigenous artists, which can be found at their archive in the Nevada Museum of Art.

GBNA’s new, permanent gallery at the Stewart Indian School displays historic pieces and contemporary works. The collection, curated by artist Melissa Melero-Moose, rotates semi-yearly.

“Our first few shows are just a warmup to introducing visitors to the Great Basin’s contemporary art scene,” says Melero-Moose. “Our future exhibitions will focus on regional Indigenous issues and perspectives while providing opportunities for some artists to have their own shows in the gallery.” The gallery’s current exhibit—titled “Basketry and Art of the Great Basin”— will run through June 3 and features examples of burden baskets, cradleboards, baby rattles, winnowing trays, and contemporary works.

Nixon

Standing on the shores of Nevada's most iconic desert lake, this center perfectly complements a day of adventuring on and near the water. PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE MUSEUM AND VISITOR CENTER Included among the handmade tools, beadwork, and jewelry, the center’s exhibits explore the area’s past and the lake's importance to the Paiute people. Visitors will also discover the natural history of Pyramid Lake and the bountiful fish and bird populations that enjoy this National Wildlife Refuge.

Moapa Valley

Built on the actual prehistoric site of the ancestral Puebloans, the Lost City Museum tells the stories of Nevada’s first permanent residents between AD 200 to AD 1200. Tools, pottery, and other artifacts—recovered from the onsite excavation pit—offer a glimpse of Puebloan life in the region for centuries, while basketry and contemporary regional art highlight lasting links between culture, then and now.

Carson City

Opened in Jan. 2020, the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center is home to the Great Basin Native Artist Gallery and adjacent museum dedicated to the school’s century-long history. Just outside the center, a stone building houses a gift shop that contains the state’s largest assortment of goods created by Native artists and artisans. Among the vibrant display of wares for purchase are tule duck decoys; jewelry; balms, salves, and sprays made from locally harvested pine nut and sage; and a large collection of artist prints and paintings.