The Amerind Foundation was founded by an archaeologist named William Shirley Fulton in 1937. The named was coined from the first syllables of American and Indian. The architect who designed the Amerind Foundation?s building was Merritt Starkweather from Tucson. The museum consists of a large library and a collection of artifacts with archaeological as well as ethnological origin. The exhibits of the museum are artifacts from its founder, Fulton.

The Director of the museum Charles C. Di Peso contributed his collection of archaeological items gathered during his excavation trips to Mexico, Chihuahua, and Casas Grandes. These objects include tools, weapons, sandals, baskets, religious artifacts, cordage of human hair and cloth.

The museum boasts of pieces of ethnological items and accessories from various Native tribes from Alaska and South America. The museum showcases articles like baskets, jewelry, cradle boards, figurative items, artifacts that reveal past religions, ceramics, art and pottery.

The Amerind Foundation aims to preserve and interpret the culture of the Native Americans. It provides sufficient knowledge on southwestern anthropology, history, archaeology, and Native American studies.