[1] The Museum of Native American History’s mission is to provide a place where visitors can experience the diverse Indigenous cultures of the Americas through pre-historic and historic art.

The current vision of the museum is, "To advance understanding of human experience within these cultures and provide a space of explorative imagination for all who visit.

The galleries are set chronologically; the art and tools Indigenous peoples leave behind continue to speak their stories and history.

To better understand their lifestyle, hardships, successes, and inspiration, MONAH invites visitors to open their minds to discover these diverse cultures’ creations.

After the self-guided tour ends and the museum store begins, visitors continue to see how Native Americans express their stories through the modern-day arts.

The museum chooses to focus on the broader history of Native Americans as a whole, rather than any specific tribe, and is laid out in roughly chronological order beginning around 22,000 BC and ending around 1930 AD.

[5] In the past the museum has hosted an annual Native American Cultural Celebration featuring concerts, workshops, speakers and film screenings.