美洲印地安人國家博物館屬多樣化、多面性的文化和教育事業，是世界上最大的史密森學會博物館群中積極又顯著的成員之一。該博物館是關注全球最廣泛的原住民文物收藏者之一，館藏包括文物、相片、檔案，傳播媒介涵蓋整個西半球，從北極圈到火地島。美洲印地安人國家博物館有三處，在華盛頓特區國家廣場中的總博物館，提供展示用畫廊、預留空間以備表演、講座、專題研討會、以及各式研究與教育的活動。在紐約市的博物館叫喬治古斯塔夫海耶中心(GGHC)，提供展示、研究、教育性活動和藝文表演節目。在馬里蘭州Suitland的博物館叫文化資源中心(CRC)，提供博物館館藏展示與維護、館藏文物的遣返、數位影像計畫以及做研究的設施。美洲印地安人國家博物館的遠距推廣活動，通常被認為是”第四座博物館”，包括網站資訊、巡迴展示與社區活動。美洲印第安人國家博物館透過原住民族與其他民族的合作關係，致力於深度了解與認知西半球的原住民文化。博物館的工作，則是在支持文化與傳統價值觀的延續，以及現代原住民族生活的變遷。A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world''s largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world''s most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. The National Museum of the American Indian operates three facilities. The museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., offers exhibition galleries and spaces for performances, lectures and symposia, research, and education. The George Gustav Heye Center (GGHC) in New York City houses exhibitions, research, educational activities, and performing arts programs. The Cultural Resources Center (CRC) in Suitland, Maryland, houses the museum''s collections as well as the conservation, repatriation, and digital imaging programs, and research facilities. The NMAI''s off-site outreach efforts, often referred to as the "fourth museum," include websites, traveling exhibitions, and community programs.The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of the Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere—past, present, and future—through partnership with Native people and others. The museum works to support the continuance of culture, traditional values, and transitions in contemporary Native life.