About the Curtis Collection
The Northwest Room’s set of The North American Indian consists of twenty individually bound books, each with an average of 250 pages and 75 images, and twenty accompanying portfolios, each with an average of 36 large image plates housed in each folding case.
Scheduling a Viewing Appointment
If you wish to schedule an appointment for a viewing of the collection please contact the Northwest Room at (253) 280-2814 or nwr@tacomalibrary.org.
The Northwest Room offers two types of appointments:
Small Group Appointment Guidelines (1-2 individuals)
All appointments are one hour in length and must be made three weeks in advance. Patrons are allowed to choose one portfolio, per appointment.
Large Group Appointment Guidelines (3-15 individuals)
All appointments are two hours in length and must be made three weeks in advance. Patrons are allowed to choose two portfolios, per appointment.
Appointments are available:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Thursdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
To protect materials in the collection, the following items are not permitted in the research areas: food, chewing gum, tobacco (in all forms), beverages, and flash photography.
For help selecting a portfolio to view during your appointment, please reference the Seattle Public Library’s online Curtis Database, opens a new window. The Seattle Public Library has previously scanned their identical collection of The North American Indian volumes and provides access to the high-definition images.
Additional Information
For more information on a Native American perspective on the Curtis prints, please visit Beyond the Frame, opens a new window.
