S’edav Va’aki Museum (SVM) is a 1,500-year-old archaeological site once inhabited by the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People. Voted a Phoenix Point of Pride and listed as a National Historic Landmark, the museum offers two accessible interpretive trails on the prehistoric site. Visitors can view a Va’aki (platform mound), ballcourt, and irrigation canals. Inside, the museum features voices from O’odham community members, the main gallery examining the lifeways of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People, a changing gallery, and Museum Store. SVM provides preservation, education, and collaborative interpretation of the cultural history of the Phoenix area, is managed by the City of Phoenix Arts and Culture Department, and is supported by our non-profit foundation.
Our new changing exhibit, Indigenous Identities, which runs through July 2027, showcases the stunning work of ten Native American artists. Together, they highlight that maintaining cultural identity is closely tied to survival, sovereignty, kinship, and connection to ancestral lands. In this contemporary art exhibit, visitors will explore issues of commodity, the right to cultural expression in public spaces, and the ancestral stories passed down through generations that speak to identity in both personal and collective ways.
Visit us on Thursday evenings from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm (September-June) for reduced museum admission, the Museum Store, rotating programs, and the evening ambiance. There is something for everyone at our Thursday Evening Programs, from the Indigenous Identities artist Speakers Series to family-friendly crafts, archaeology talks, and curated artist-led workshops. Explore all our programs by visiting our website at Phoenix.gov/SVMevents.
This holiday season, connect with Indigenous artists, dancers, and cultural representatives through demonstrations, hands-on learning, live performances, and food and fine art vendors at the 49th Annual Indian Market on December 12th and 13th. This market features over 100 top Native American artists vending items such as paintings, sculptures, jewelry, baskets, and more. The family-friendly Ki:him (village) hosts hands-on learning in beading, gourd art, weaving, pottery, hoop dancing, and more.
The S’edav Va’aki Museum Foundation (SVMF) is the museum’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preservation, interpretation, and stewardship of this significant cultural site. SVMF supports museum programming, exhibits, operates the Museum Store, and more.
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sedavvaakimuseum
https://www.instagram.com/sedavvaakimuseum/