The Payne Family Native American Center, Native American educational center at University of Montana, US
The Payne Family Native American Center is an educational facility at the University of Montana housed in a three-story building. It features wood floors throughout, a distinctive twelve-sided rotunda design, and large windows that flood the upper levels with natural light.
The center opened in 2010 on land once occupied by Chief Charlo and the Bitterroot Salish people. They were forcibly relocated to the Flathead Indian Reservation in 1891, a defining moment in the region's history.
Each of the twelve sides in the rotunda corresponds to one of Montana's tribes, with traditional parfleche patterns etched into the floor showing their specific symbols. The design reflects how local Native communities understand their shared geography and identity.
The facility operates on weekdays from early morning to evening and contains four classrooms, twelve offices, conference spaces, computer labs, and study areas. Visitors should know this is primarily an academic environment with various learning spaces throughout.
Seven gardens with native plants surround the building, each representing one of Montana's reservations. Their placement mirrors the pattern of the Big Dipper constellation in the night sky.
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