With Independence Day weekend just days away, part of the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT has closed due to a power outage.
What Happened at the American Heritage Gallery
WDWNT reported on Wednesday afternoon that Disney cast members had blocked off the entrance to the American Heritage Gallery inside the American Adventure World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT. Disney cast members on the scene told guests that a power outage had left the area without electricity, necessitating the temporary closure. Artwork remains visible through the gallery's exterior windows, but the lights illuminating the glass display cases are off.
Walt Disney World Resort has not issued any public statement about the outage or the closure. The official website still lists the American Heritage Gallery's operating hours as 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday — though EPCOT is closing early on July 1 for a private event, meaning the window for a potential reopening before the park closes is already narrow.
What the Gallery Houses
The American Heritage Gallery exhibit showcases American Indian art featuring pieces from Native communities across seven geographic regions of the United States, developed in collaboration with the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Notable artists featured in the gallery include fashion designer Loren Aragon of Acoma Pueblo, doll-maker Glenda McKay of the Ingalik-Athabascan community, and bead and porcupine quill worker Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty of the Assiniboine Sioux.
Walt Disney World Resort recently added Seminole artwork on loan from the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum at the Big Cypress Reservation in Hendry County, Florida. The museum shared details about the current rotation on Facebook, noting that it includes beadwork by Linda Beletso — including a beaded baseball cap and a beaded stethoscope — alongside Billy Walker's alligator wrestling shirt, a patchwork shirt made by Ida Cypress, and a pair of 19th-century moccasins. Those items are on display through September 2026.
The newest rotation of Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki collection objects are up at Disney! This rotation features two objects made the talented Linda Beletso, a beaded baseball cap and a stunning beaded stethoscope. The display also includes Billy Walker’s alligator wrestling shirt, a patchwork shirt made by Ida Cypress, and a pair of 19th century moccasins. Check them all out on exhibit at Epcot’s American Adventure Pavilion from now until September!
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Whether the gallery will be back up and running before EPCOT's early closure on Wednesday remains unclear.
Have you ever visited the American Heritage Gallery in the American Adventure Pavilion at EPCOT? In the comments, share your thoughts on the exhibit with Disney Fanatic!
