Museums across the globe that showcase Indigenous Peoples' culture and heritage

The Star

09-08-2025

Today marks the 30th edition of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, which is celebrated annually on Aug 9.
According to the United Nations, 6.2% of the world's population is made up of Indigenous Peoples. That amounts to 476 million Indigenous Peoples found in 90 countries across the globe.
Unfortunately, Indigenous Peoples continue to be marginalised even in modern times. Efforts have been made to raise awareness on Indigenous Peoples' plights, but there is a long way to go in rectifying the wrongs of the past still perpetuated today.
To disseminate information and sow deeper understanding, various museums on Indigenous Peoples have been established all around the world.
Just like how in Malaysia we have several such museums spread throughout the country, other countries have their own versions as well – and here, we list some of them.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a good start to learning about the world's Indigenous Peoples.
Thailand's Highland People Discovery Museum was previously called Tribal Museum. — Wikimedia Commons
Thailand
Chiang Mai's Highland People Discovery Museum and Chiang Rai's Hilltribe Museum are focused on the ethnic groups in Thailand. The Bangkok National Museum is also a good place to gain some knowledge about the country's various ethnic groups, even if it's not solely centred on Indigenous Peoples.
You might notice the first two museums highlight specifically the Northern ethnic minorities, which include the Hmong, Karen and Akha tribes, among others.
While the highland Indigenous Peoples are the most prominent in Thailand, the country is also home to other ethnic minorities. These minority groups are the coastal Indigenous Peoples – the Moken, the Moklen and the Urak Lawoi (collectively known as Chao Ley) – and hunter-gatherer groups like the Maniq and the Mlabri.
A traditional house displayed at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. — Vietnam Museum of Ethnology/Facebook
Vietnam
The Hmong and Karen tribes may sound familiar to you if you've visited the highlands of Vietnam, that's because they are among the Indigenous Peoples who can be found in both Vietnam and Thailand.
Learn more about the events in history that led to this multi-nation division at museums like The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi, the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam's Ethnic Groups in Thai Nguyen, and Precious Heritage Museum by Rehahn in Hoi An.
Vietnam has 54 recognised ethnic groups in total, with the Kihn or Viet being the majority. You may notice that Vietnam (like Thailand) does not officially use the term 'Indigenous Peoples'. Instead, 'ethnic minorities' is the term used to refer to the 53 ethnic groups that form the minorities in the country.
The China Ethnic Museum is also known as the China Nationalities Museum. — Wikimedia Commons
China
Located near the Vietnam border is the Guangxi Museum of Nationalities in Nanning, China. Similar to its South-East Asian neighbour, China doesn't officially recognise the term Indigenous Peoples.
It instead uses the term ethnic minorities to refer to the ones who are not part of the Han ethnic group, which makes up over 90% of China's population.
The country has 56 recognised ethnic groups in total, including the Han majority. Some of the largest groups within its 55 ethnic minorities are the Zhuang, Uyghur, Manchu, Mongol and Tibetan groups.
You can gain insights into the different groups at Beijing's China Ethnic Museum, alternatively called China Nationalities Museum or China Ethnic Culture Park. There's also the Yunnan Nationalities Museum in Kunming, which focuses on the province's 26 ethnic groups.
Njalla, a traditional Sami storage structure, displayed at Sami National Museum in Norway. — Sami National Museum
Norway
The Sami (also spelled Saami) people are the only recognised Indigenous group within the European Union. According to Visit Norway, half of the Sami people's estimated population of 80,000 can be found in Norway.
The remaining half of the Sami population can be found in the three other countries that are part of the Sapmi region, namely Sweden, Finland and Russia.
The Sami National Museum in Karasjok, Varanger Sami Museum in Varangerbotn, Norwegian Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, and Kautokeino Municipal Museum are some of the best places to learn about the Sami people in Norway.
You can also find Sami museums in other parts of Sapmi, such as the Sami Museum Siida in Finland, Museum of the History of Kola Sami in Russia, and Ajtte, Swedish Mountain and Sami Museum in Sweden.
Living museums like the Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village let visitors experience New Zealand's Maori culture. —MELODY L. GOH/The Star
New Zealand
Making up more than 17% of New Zealand's population are people from the Maori ethnic group, according to the country's 2023 Census.
You can learn more about the Indigenous Polynesian people, who have called the little island country in Oceania home for over 700 years, at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.
Other than the national museum, there are also the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch and the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira.
For a more immersive learning experience, visit living museums like the Tamaki Maori Village and Whakarewarewa Living Maori Village, both located in Rotorua in the North Island.