The Payne Family Native American Center is the first facility in the nation built to accommodate the Native American Studies Department and American Indian Student Services. Its location is the site of a historic Salish Indian encampment, and the building is designed to reflect that legacy as well as the heritage and cultures of all Montana tribes.
The Payne Family Native American Center also houses a planetarium, student lounge, computer lab, study areas, conference room, seminar room, Native American Student Association meeting room, outdoor fire pits and four classrooms fully equipped with the latest instructional technology.
The Elouise Cobell Land and Culture Institute occupies the garden level of the Payne Family Native American Center. It provides flexible classroom designs, advanced distance-learning platforms, and a multi-screen theater room that emphasizes the story-telling traditions in Native American culture. One highlight of the facility is a Round Room, which uses the same technology as the American Museum of Natural History and NASA, and immerses viewers in an interactive display of the environment and the sky.
Accessibility
Accessible Entrances: There are accessible entrances with automatic doors located at the north, west and east entrances to the Payne Family Native American Center.
Accessible Elevator: The elevator in the Payne Family Native American Center is located closest to the west entrance of the building. The elevator provides access to all levels of the building.
Floor Plans: