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The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is the sixteenth museum of the Smithsonian Institution and the first national museum dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of Native Americans. Established by an act of Congress in 1989, the museum works in collaboration with the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere to protect and foster their cultures by reaffirming traditions and beliefs, encouraging contemporary artistic expression, and empowering the Indian voice. NMAI has one of the most extensive collections of Native American arts and artifacts in the world—approximately 266,000 catalogue records (825,000 items) representing over 12,000 years of history and over 1,200 indigenous cultures throughout the Americas. In addition, NMAI holdings include Photographic Archives (approximately 324,000 images), Media Archives (approximately 12,000 items), and Paper Archives (approximately 1522 linear feet).
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