Overview: Pre-Columbian art from the collection of Robert Woods Bliss was on view as well as loans from the Peabody Museum, Harvard University, from Bliss' earlier donation of archaeological items. The 250 gold, jade, clay, stone, and textile pieces on display were chosen primarily for their aesthetic value rather than scientific importance. In cataloguing and classification Bliss was advised by Samuel K. Lothrop and Matthew W. Stirling. At the Gallery the installation was directed by Charles Seymour Jr. and later Perry B. Cott.

Handbook: Indigenous Art of the Americas: Collection of Robert Woods Bliss. Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1947.