Experience history as never before, told through the world of beads. The only comprehensive bead museum in the world was founded in 1984 and is currently located in Historic Downtown Glendale, AZ. A timeline of beads goes back 15,000 years to tell the story of humankind and the history of the world through art, anthropology and technology.

Exhibits

Never before displayed as one exhibition,“The Family Jewels” presents 7 periods of costume jewelry and beaded garments beginning in the 1837 Victorian era though the Edwardian Art Nouveau period, the Art Deco period, Retro era, the 1960s Pop Art to the 1970s “Me Decade.”

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.