Southwest Museum of the American Indian in Echo Park

Excellent place to take your kids

One room with displays along the wall. Lots of parking as there were only 2 of us there Saturday at 11 am. Went to the main Autry museum after this as it is only 10 minutes away.

no good food

Wonderful old spot with great local history

Southwest Museum of the American Indian is the oldest museum in Los Angeles. Its a 12-acre campus near the Mount Washington-Highland Park border. Museums public exhibition on Pueblo pottery, is small and open free of charge. The museum is owned by the Autry Museum of the American West. Its collections deal mainly with Native Americans and its major collections had included American Indians of the Great Plains, American Indians of California, and American Indians of the Northwest Coast. Visitors can complete the whole museums exhibits and grounds in 35 minutes. Parking lot is free. Staff were friendly and professional. Overall, I recommend this museum if you like American Indian culture.

Beautiful building with an amazing view, but the collection is disappointing. Evidently most of it is bring housed in a warehouse in Burbank due to lack of proper air conditioning.

Visited here once several years ago. Some nice stuff, but there was little to see when I went, a very little amount of "stuff" at the time. Not sure whether theyve added more since then...perhaps at the time some artifacts had been relocated to the Autry Museum of the West in Los Feliz/Atwater (I remember that that is in fact what was going on at the time). Because they had a little amount of things to see several years ago. It was barely worth the trip...and I like those type of artifacts, so thats saying something.

Its no wonder this place is open only one day a week and, thankfully, free, as there are only two rooms to visit. The room on the main entrance level has an exhibit on native American pottery which is fairly informative and interesting. In the center of this room is a makeshift display of pictures with brief descriptions of the individuals who visited the Loomis home - El Alisal - down the road from the museum. The museum and home were built by Charles Loomis of whom you will read about (both positive and negativein the second room of the museum.It would appear Mr. Loomis was more of a collector vs. the self described and unofficially trained and educated archaeologist. Most of his collection was taken from the pueblo people of the American southwest and from areas in South America. Ironically, not a lot, if any at all, attention was given to the indigenous people of Southern California.The museums facade and surroundings are in need of care.A positive - on a clear day, the view from the museums grounds of downtown Los Angeles to the south, the Arroyo Seco to the east and the San Gabriel mountains to the north is nice.Go to say youve been and derive your own opinions.You shouldnt need more than an hour or two here.

This place is one of the kind. And pretty soon will be an inspiring place for generation to come. And youall going to be witness of this amazing project.

Beautiful. Dont forget to view the home nearby.

What happened to this museum?Very disappointed. 90% Devoid of Southwest Native American experience. Not what it use to be!!

Took my kids here because my son had a project on Native Americans for school. There were no exhibits on Native Americans at all! The whole museum was about a man named Lumos who did nothing but take advantage of the Native people and Mexicans. There is a Lumos house up the street, where all these things could have been. We were throughly disappointed.

Some truly exquisite bopper with wonderful accompanying information. The Charles Lummis story downstairs is fascinating.

Interesting, but very limited collection in a tired space.

Loved this place! Loved the docents and just everything!

Good for our people ,educate others about true natives

I do recommended to all to visit the historical place like this.

The people here are very knowledgeable about Charles Lummis, and can answer any questions you have about his life and experience in Los Angeles.While the "garden" outside is not taken care of, the view of the 110 and surrounding housing and landscape is unlike any other in Northeast LA (on a clear day).

Ok views. The museum is a bit boring

There isnt truely alot of the history just coat pottery from different tribes in which isnt in Calif tribes wish there was more offered to see yet I live the area alot of nature and theres deffemtly the Indian walk

A national historical landmark designated in 1914. Much of the collection has been moved to the Autry so all there is left are the barebones of what Lummis intended to be his collection. It is still a fascinating stop for the vistas, the architecture, and its history!

Its a nice museum but very small with only one main exhibit room and a small section downstairs dedicated to an author. The pottery display has beautiful examples of Southwest native American pottery. The views and setting are worth dropping by for.

This historic place MUST be saved, along with all the exhibits. Open rarely, as far as I can tell, with controversy about its fate, this is an historic landmark. Five stars for the building--1 star for the current management. Autry Museum needs to make this place once again all that it was intended to be.If this review seems a bit confused, well so am I! Ive heard such conflicting comments regarding the future of this special place that I admit I cant quite figure out what is going on. Bottom line: Restore and open it for the purpose for which it was designed.

We were staying in Highland Park and walked to this museum. It was a beautiful facility and we enjoyed the exhibits very much.

Love the pow wows, docents and displays

The entrance was beautiful walking in to the building got hot no ac very little things to look at. was not worth my time and distance to drive to look at very little things...

Great hidden treasure. Id highly recommend going. I believe its free to get in still.

Everything is closed off you can only see two different rooms.

Beautiful location and historic charm for Los Angeles first museum. It used to be a fantastic display of native american artifacts and culture. Now, it has a very limited amount of items on display due to structural issues and the Autry not being true to what they envisioned for the museum. It is now only open on weekends. Pay a visit to support this relic and encourage the Autry to give back to the community it robbed years ago.

Visit soon before the Autry extorts the collection.

Nice using the tunnel, many rooms under construction. The garden looks like its been forgotten.

Seems to be in decline. Lot of closed sections or empty rooms. A few small exhibits. Beautiful building on an incredible lot with a fun but a bit scary long tunnel entrance from Museum Dr. Friendly staff and a good pottery collection. Glad I stopped in but probably wont be heading back. Also, thats a "dorsal fin" from a killer whale in my totem pole picture.

Its been closed for at least 5 years

This place totally changed for the worse. It use to be so nice to stop by this location. Now its different and nearly gone. Im not so sure that this place was saved or preserved. From a cultural perspective it was needed as an anchor to show where we have progressed to as humans and specifically in this region of Los Angeles. Highland Park always and will be ghetto. Its in the neighborhood that honestly has nothing high-end and still is ugly. You see changes being done throughout the neighborhood but in reality it is doing nothing. Streets are still dumped and consumed in graffiti drugs and homeless people no matter how hard the authorities may try to reduce the appearance of morbidness in the streets of Highland Park. North East Los Angeles has a reputation and has been constant keeping it. You still find out about horrible events here that could bring anyone down. Consumed by sadness that follows with countless tear drops. Highland Park cant and wont be messed with. I grew up in these streets and you find out about the truths that many dont want to know about but they matter. Its always good to know whats going on around your surroundings. This museum was closed to make it a storage. The Autry museum now own the main artifacts. The location should be well intact with the artifacts. It makes sense to keep the artifacts at home. This Southwest museum needed to be saved. Very few stood up when they needed to speak up and to be heard, but Highland Park and the Latinos will prevail. -Sergio Antonio De La Torre

4 stars because going to Southwest museum is like time travel. Even though this museum is hardly ever open any more, you should still go there and walk the grounds and check out the views. There are many spots for taking pictures too.

Sad. Expecting much more. Old film, pedestrian entrance scary forOne person, 1 exhibit room on pottery, real shame to people who are interested in learning

I just found this boring and uninspiring. Im sure the cultural artifacts are important, but there was little context, and the space was too plain to be inspired.

Such an interesting history, must see the Lummis Home to put it into perspective. Beautiful location, it would be nice if it had more exhibits.

Never been here before seems interesting

There is not too much​ to see inside but the view is beautiful.

We visited on a Thursday, free all day! First of all the museum is bigger than it looks. There were many sections that we didnt know were there and there were some sections that were closed off, not sure why, but regardless, there was plenty to see. The paintings were beautifully displayed and looked great in the lighting. I would love to visit again.

Although its not functioning as a museum, the building is worth a visit to look at the architecture, and for the dramatic views of Downtown LA from the terrace. Take the Gold Line -- the station is right across the street from this historic gem.

Great native American exhibits

Beautiful building (what you can see of it that is... come on Autry, get it togetherbut there really is not much exhibit space here that is open to the public. That said, the one full exhibit that was open was fantastic. The grounds are ok but honestly arent in very good condition (be careful out there!). You wont end up spending much time here, but its a good place for a quick Saturday visit if you are on the Eastside and its free.

This was a surprise found museum located near the mission railroad in close by 110 freeway.The coolest thing of this museum is their entrance. Very indian jones alike with a long tunnel. I see this a great for some photo and video shoot. The museum itself is small but is free !

Hate the hours was on pasadena for an event on sat ... Yep you guessed it only open on Saturdays

I came here many years ago and there was much to see. Now only one room and some artifacts downstairs in one viewing case by the restrooms? Wheres the beautiful giftshop? Why even bother? A darn shame, I tells ya.

I have enjoyed the Southwest Museum ever since I was a little kid. I visited my grandparents who lived just above the museum on Crane Blvd. and they would take me to the museum. I have visited since I have been an adult, and it brings back fond memories. I highly recommend.

Why is this museum closed This is a terrible blemish on the city counsel and an embarrasment to your city and state

I am working the the Autry National Center, American Indian Families Partnerships, Southern California Indian Center and my department UCLA Community Programs Office to make experience at the Southwest Muesum excellent. Come plant, harvest and cook with us.Jose LeonUCLA Community Programs Office