Archives and Special Collections

Archives of the Institute of American Indian Arts

The purpose of the Archives of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is to collect, preserve, interpret, and provide access to the documentary history of IAIA, the contemporary native art movement, and American Indian Education.  The Archives is the official collecting repository for all permanent and historically relevant records for the College of Contemporary Native Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, and the Center for Lifelong Education.

The archives preserves college, museum, and personal materials that document the operation and changes of IAIA and Indian arts education. The Archives serve as an educational resource for the study of the modern Native arts movement and encourages scholarly research in its collections by faculty, staff, students, and the general public. The Archives serve as an educational and training center for IAIA students interested in pursuing archival careers.

Location and Hours

The archives are open to all researchers weekdays by appointment only. Please call the archivist

Finding Aids

Detailed guides to our processed collections can be accessed on the Rocky Mountain Online Archive. New finding aids are added to the database regularly.

Digital Assets

Digital surrogates of archival photographs, films, audio recordings, and documents can be found at New Mexico’s Digital Collections. New digital items are added to the database regularly.

Processed Collections

Record Groups
Manuscript Collections

Forms and Policies

Archival Materials Use Policy
Duplication Request Form
Permission to use

Special Collections

Select Items within the IAIA Library Collection.

Smithsonian Photographs, National Anthropological Archives

Late 19th and early 20th Century photographs of Native Peoples and their communities. Prints include a broad representation of tribes from across the U.S. These prints are routinely accessed by our students for various research projects.

The Lee and Stewart Udall & the Lloyd New Special Collections Area

Approximately 400 books donated by Stewart Udall, former Secretary of the Interior under the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations and by Aysen New, widow of Lloyd New, a founding father of IAIA.

The Joy Harjo Collection

Literature and Media Arts from Joy Harjo’s personal collection – Joy Harjo Collection (, 239.1 KiB)

The Lannan Literary Series Videos
Writers, poets and social activists reading and discussing their work as participants in the Lannan Foundation’s Readings & Conversations program.