Pablita Velarde Museum of Indian Women in the Arts

The Pablita Velarde Museum of Indian Women in the Arts is the only museum in the world dedicated to the art of American Indian women. Located just south of St. Francis Cathedral, its mission is to educate about and promote the art work of Native women artists. Pablita Velarde, its namesake, was from the Santa Clara Pueblo. She was the first female student in the art classes started at the Santa Fe Indian School in 1932. Several Dunn students, including Velarde and Alan Houser, became well-known artists. Velarde, her daughter Helen Hardin (who passed away in 1984) and her granddaughter Margarete Bagshaw comprise the only three-generational full-time "female painting dynasty" on record. Bagshaw spearheaded the efforts to get funding for the museum which opened in September 2012. The only permanent exhibit is a recreation of Velarde's studio. New exhibitions are mounted every three to eight months.