Plains Art Museum Receives Smithsonian Affiliation
Press Release
For Immediate Release (May 2026)
Plains Art Museum is thrilled to announce its recent award of Smithsonian Affiliation, making the museum the first, and only, Smithsonian Affiliate in the state of North Dakota. Smithsonian Affiliations is part of the Smithsonian Institution, which is the world’s largest museum, education, and research organization. Comprised of 21 museums and the National Zoo, the Institution’s mission is to increase and diffuse knowledge across the globe. Smithsonian Affiliates collaborate with the Smithsonian Institution through long-term partnerships; these partnerships can include educational programs, artwork loans, traveling exhibition opportunities, and professional development for staff. Affiliation also opens up a global dialogue, connecting Plains to the network of more than 200 Affiliates across nearly all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Panama.
Collaborations with the Smithsonian are already underway, including Plains’ Know Your Treaty: Wíwahokičhiyapi: They Promised Things to Each Other, developed with the National Museum of the American Indian and the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street. The exhibition opened on April 25th and provides an overview of treaties in the United States, with a focus on those connected to our region. Plains partnered with Lakȟóta Archeologist Tyrel Iron Eyes and Giiwedinnong Treaty Museum’s Logan Monroe, Don Wendl, and Winona LaDuke; their research and expertise informed and shaped the creation of this exhibition. Students from Concordia College’s Digital Design class designed a portion of the panels for the show.
Plains is also embarking on two new youth programs through Smithsonian Affiliation: Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program and Creating Portraits of Community. Democracy in Dialogue has connected with over 180 educators and nearly 4,000 young people nationwide, and Plains is proud to engage regional youth with this national dialogue. Creating Portraits of Community is a collaboration between the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Museum of American History, and Smithsonian Affiliates. Plains’ museum educators will work with regional teachers and students to create portraits of our communities, culminating in an online gallery featured on Smithsonian American Art Museum’s website.
Plains Art Museum is the largest and only accredited art museum in North Dakota, reflecting our “demonstration of the highest professional standards for education, public service and collections stewardship, and a commitment to continued institutional improvement.” Plains is proud to now also be the Smithsonian in your Neighborhood.