Friends of the Antelope Valley Indian Museum (FAVIM)

Friends of the Antelope Valley Indian Museum (FAVIM) Supporter Group for the Antelope Valley Indian Museum Group tours are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a reservation. Mrs. Search the collections online.

Phone (661) 946-3055 to make a reservation. The Antelope Valley Indian Museum is a unique and eclectic folk art structure located in northeastern Los Angeles County. The museum houses objects created by the American Indian cultures of the western Great Basin, California, and the Southwest. History of the Antelope Valley Indian Museum

The Collectors

Howard Arden Edwards, a self-taught artist, bec

ame enchanted with the desert scenery around the buttes while visiting the Antelope Valley. He homesteaded 160 acres on Piute Butte and in 1928, Edwards, his wife and teenage son began building a home, which included a special area he called his Antelope Valley Indian Research Museum. In it he displayed his collection of prehistoric and historic American Indian artifacts, which he interpreted in a way that he thought would be instructive and entertaining for visitors. Some of his imaginative descriptions can still be seen in displays in the museum's upper gallery, his former research museum, now called California Hall. Grace Wilcox Oliver, who had taken some courses in anthropology, purchased the property, reinforced the main building, expanded the physical facilities, and added her own artifacts. She opened the Edwards' house as the Antelope Valley Indian Museum in the early 1940s and operated it intermittently for the next three decades, gradually adding to the collections. Oliver's approach to interpreting American Indian materials can be seen in the museum's Southwest Room. The artifacts represented in the Antelope Valley Indian Museum's electronic catalog show the avid if sometimes idiosyncratic interests of the original collectors. Many of the objects were acquired in the early twentieth century by enthusiasts rather than scholars and before current standards of archaeological provenance and record keeping were established. Most of the objects in the Antelope Valley Indian Museum were undocumented and many are identified as being created by cultural groups that are not the names used by peoples of those cultures. Serious research is currently take place to identify these objects as accurately as possible and revisions are ongoing. The Museum

RocksLocal support for the acquisition of the property resulted in the state of California purchasing the museum in 1979, with Grace Oliver donating all of the artifacts. The majority of the museum's collections emphasizes the Southwestern, California and Great Basin Indians, although it contains artifacts from a number of other geographic regions. In the 1980s, the State Parks designated the museum as a regional Indian museums, representing the cultures of the western Great Basin (east and southeast of the Sierra Nevada Mountains). Material culture from local archaeological discoveries is occasionally added to the collections. Serious research identifying and assessing the objects in the museum’s collections began in the early 1990s with the beginning of an electronic cataloging project and is ongoing. The museum has made every attempt to provide reliable identification and descriptions of the artifacts, but cannot guarantee the accuracy of these data. Mission Statement

The mission of the Antelope Valley Indian Museum is to provide for the education, inspiration and benefit of the people of California as well as those throughout the world with interest in the material culture and lifeways of prehistoric, historic, and contemporary American Indian cultures and the unique folk art represented at the park by

providing programs, projects, and exhibits that educate, enlighten, and inspire people to explore the cultures represented at the Museum and to an ever-widening audience. supporting research and information dissemination that will provide understanding of the links between these treasures and the peoples who generated them. preserving the park's natural, cultural and historic resources unimpaired for present and future generations. Major interpretive themes of the museum are:

the importance of the trade route through the Antelope Valley, which linked and created an interaction sphere for three major culture regions: California, the Great Basin, and the Southwest;

the museum illustrates nearly seventy years of change/evolution in the way American Indian cultural materials are exhibited and interpreted in museums.

February 28 and March 1, 2026. Meet Sage Romero. Antelope Valley Indian Museum Hosts Native American Artist Sage Romero ...
02/28/2026

February 28 and March 1, 2026. Meet Sage Romero.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum Hosts Native American Artist Sage Romero This Weekend

LANCASTER – California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (SHP) invites the public to a special two-day event featuring Native American artist Sage Romero (Piute/Taos Pueblo). On Saturday, Feb. 28, Sage will share his art, and on Sunday, March 1, he will present the animated telling of “Wolf and Isha Make the Land” during Book Time at the Butte.

Here are details about the event:

WHAT: ​Event featuring Native American artist Sage Romero

WHEN:​Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

COST: ​​$3 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under.
California fourth-grade students attending a public school and their families can attend for free with the California State Park Adventure Pass. Learn more about the pass and how you can download it at parks.ca.gov/adventurepass.

WHERE:​​Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
​​15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster.

DIRECTIONS:​From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th
Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to reach the museum.

Sage Romero is a member of the Tovowahamatu Numu (Big Pine Paiute) and Tuah-Thahi (Taos Pueblo) tribes. He is the founder and director of the AkaMya Culture Group, a nonprofit dedicated to cultural revitalization, and a cultural consultant and teacher for traditional dance and song, sobriety and wellness, and multimedia production. He also organizes the West Coast Hoop Dance Championship. He lives in Tovowahamatu (Teacher of the Children) Payahu Nadu (Place Where the Water Flows) – also known as Big Pine, California, in the Owens Valley.

“Wolf and Isha Make the Land” is a Nümü story, told in the Nümü Yadoha language, illustrated and animated by Sage Romero. The publication was a collaboration between the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and California Tribes to use traditional stories to highlight each Tribe’s connection to waterways. The book is not for sale; it is given to language and education programs for youth for free. It can also be viewed on the DWR website.

For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit its website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow the museum on Facebook.

California State Parks supports equal access. If you need reasonable modification or special accommodation for the event, please contact Peggy Ronning at (661) 946-3055.

Please note: Pets are not allowed in the museum. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.

About Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP showcases over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop and picnic area.

Sage Romero, director of the AkaMya Culture Group. Photo from California State Parks.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum Hosts Native American Artist Cecelia Begay on Feb. 7 and 8LANCASTER – California State Par...
02/03/2026

Antelope Valley Indian Museum Hosts Native American Artist Cecelia Begay on Feb. 7 and 8

LANCASTER – California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (SHP) will host Native American artist Cecelia Begay (Diné Navajo) on Feb. 7 and 8. Cecelia will showcase her art, engage with visitors, and answer questions about her work.

Cecelia, originally from Castle Butte, Ariz., in the Navajo Nation, has lived in California’s Antelope Valley for over 30 years. She is well-known for her beautiful jewelry, crafted from materials such as beads, juniper seeds, pine nuts, and shells. Visitors can also purchase her artwork.

Here are details about the event:

WHAT: Native American Artist Showcase – Cecelia Begay

WHEN: Feb. 7 and 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

COST: $3 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under.

California fourth-grade students attending a public school and their families can attend for free with the California State Park Adventure Pass. Learn more about the pass and how you can download it at parks.ca.gov/adventurepass.

WHERE: Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster.

DIRECTIONS: From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th
Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn
left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to reach the museum.

Please note: Pets are not allowed in the museum. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.

For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit its website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow the museum on Facebook.

California State Parks supports equal access. If you need reasonable modification or special accommodation for the event, please contact Peggy Ronning at (661) 946-3055.

About Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP

Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP showcases over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop and picnic area.

Contact:
Peggy Ronning, Museum Curator III
(661) 946-3055

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum, located in southern California's Mojave desert, represents the Native American cultures of the western Great Basin, California coast, and Southwest.

Sunday October 19, 2025. This photo is the closing of the Celebration event of the 2025 year. The dancers that stayed ar...
10/21/2025

Sunday October 19, 2025.

This photo is the closing of the Celebration event of the 2025 year. The dancers that stayed around till the end.
All styles of dancers were able to participate with each others presentation as it should be. Helping each other out.
Thank you to all that participated. Until next year.

Save the date for March 28 & 29th, 2025.
10/03/2025

Save the date for March 28 & 29th, 2025.

Come to this local event this weekend.
10/02/2025

Come to this local event this weekend.

The Hart of the West Pow Wow is a powerful gathering that brings together multiple Indigenous peoples to celebrate food, traditions, community, and dance. Experience the pride and beauty of traditional dances, drumming, and singing that embody the spirit of this two-day pow wow. 🥁

📅 When: October 4-5 - Grand Entry at 12 PM ⏰

Here is another event coming up in November.
09/12/2025

Here is another event coming up in November.

Lookit! The head staff for the 40th Annual CSUN Powwow!

Here is another event to join California Native American Day.
09/11/2025

Here is another event to join California Native American Day.

Join us for a vibrant celebration of unique cultures of California's Native American communities on Friday, September 26 at CSUSB.

This event will showcase traditional bird songs, music, art, and cuisine. Admission is free and open to everyone. We encourage you to bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a comfortable experience.

For more information, visit the link in bio.

San Diego area……. This is a big event to see. Details are on the flyer.
09/09/2025

San Diego area……. This is a big event to see. Details are on the flyer.

This weekend in Long Beach at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
09/09/2025

This weekend in Long Beach at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

It’s that time of the year again at Hart Park. Come check this out give our vendors a visit.
09/03/2025

It’s that time of the year again at Hart Park.
Come check this out give our vendors a visit.

06/28/2025

California State Parks Hosts Native American Artist Nadiya Littlewarrior at Antelope Valley Indian Museum LANCASTER

Nadiya is recognized internationally for her beautiful gourd art, and started her own studio, Spirit Vessels, in 1993. Gourds carry a deep spiritual meaning for her. “They are Spirit Vessels to me because The Creator makes the Gourd People and puts their spirit in them, and I get to dress them with regalia,” she says.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 5 and 6

COST: $3 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under.
California fourth grade students attending a public school and their families can attend for free with the California State Parks Adventure Pass Park. Learn more about the pass and how you can download it at parks.ca.gov/adventurepass.

WHERE: Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster, CA 93535

DIRECTIONS: From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to reach the museum.

Please Note: Pets are not allowed in the museum. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.
For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit its website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow the museum on Facebook at facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum.
California State Parks supports equal access. If you need reasonable modification or special accommodation for the event, please contact Peggy Ronning at (661) 946-3055.
About Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP showcases over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop and picnic area.

The museum, open to the public since 1932, houses over 8,000 objects representing 120 American Indian cultures. Social Media Guidelines: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=31305

Address

15701 E Avenue M
Lancaster, CA
93535

Opening Hours

Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

Telephone

+16619463055

Website

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