Founded as the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in 1907 by Charles F. Lummis and the Southwest Society, now part of the The Autry Museum (see separate listing).
The Museum building is on the National Register of Historic places and currently houses artifacts ranging from the prehistoric to the present, documenting Native history and culture in the Americas. Collection strengths include pottery from the southwestern United States.
The historic Southwest Museum Mt. Washington Campus is the site of the ongoing conservation initiative of The Autry Southwest Museum collection.