Edward Sheriff Curtis, born near Whitewater, Wisconsin, became interested in photography at a young age. At 17, he was already an apprentice at a studio in Minnesota. Then, his family moved to Seattle, where he purchased his own camera and eventually built a successful portrait studio. By 1896, Curtis had begun taking pictures around Seattle, which would become part of his life’s work known as The North American Indian collection. ​The project spanned four decades, and Curtis produced more than 40,000 photographs of more than 80 tribes in the American West. 

​At the time, Curtis sought to record the culture and traditions of Native American tribes before they were “lost forever.” Today, it’s important to consider Curtis’s work through a wider lens. With this in mind, the Dubuque Museum of Art is currently reimagining this exhibit to be more inclusive. Please inquire for more information. ​