Clearly Indigenous Glass Exhibit Opens in Spokane

The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture now displays over 100 works by Native American and Indigenous Pacific Rim artists.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Fine Art

Gouache-painted illustration of a sculpted glass vessel on a pedestal, representing a contemporary Indigenous art exhibition. — The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane has launched the "Clearly Indigenous" glass exhibition, showcasing over 100 contemporary works. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture has launched the Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass exhibition. This traveling showcase highlights glass art created by nearly 30 contemporary Indigenous artists.

Why it matters

The exhibition brings significant works of glass art to Spokane, offering the public a chance to view pieces that were previously featured at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.

The exhibition displays 100 glass works created by nearly 30 contemporary Native American and Indigenous Pacific Rim artists. The collection began its national tour in 2023.

The players

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

This museum serves as the hosting venue for the glass exhibition in Spokane.

Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian

This institution is a prior location that hosted the traveling exhibition before it moved to Spokane.

The details

The exhibition explores the intersection of traditional Indigenous storytelling and contemporary glass techniques. It provides a platform for Native American and Indigenous Pacific Rim creators to share their cultural narratives through a modern artistic medium.

The exhibition began traveling the country in 2023.
The exhibition opened at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture on October 30, 2026.
The exhibition closes at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture on January 10, 2027.

Industry Dynamics

The exhibition follows a national pattern set by the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian exhibition tour. This reflects a broader trend of major cultural institutions facilitating the wide distribution of Indigenous contemporary art across regional markets.

Residents of Spokane can view the glass collection at the museum daily through early 2027. This exhibition provides local audiences with direct access to works that previously required travel to national museums to see.

The takeaway

Visitors are encouraged to explore the intersection of ancient cultural motifs and modern material science found in these glass sculptures. Planning an early visit provides the best opportunity to experience the full collection before it departs the region.