The University of Montana will dedicate the Payne Family Native American Center on Thursday.

The dedication ceremony features Crow Tribe author and historian Joe Medicine Crow, Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Nation and Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D). The center will host tours and events all day.

The building was designed around a 12-sided rotunda. Each side represents the 12 tribes in Montana, whose names appear inside the rotunda.

The center will house the Native American Studies department and American Indian Student Services at UM. It features four classrooms, one conference room, 12 office spaces, a student lounge and student meeting rooms.

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UM's Native American Center dedication Thursday (The Missoulian 5/12)

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