▁than ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 . ▁High light s ▁of ▁the ▁collection ▁include ▁a ▁ ▁house post ▁from ▁the ▁I at mul ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁Sep ik ▁River ▁in ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁bright ly ▁painted ▁car v ings ▁used ▁in ▁mal ang gan ▁cer emon ial s ▁of ▁New ▁Ireland , ▁a ▁roll ▁of ▁fe ather ▁money ▁from ▁N indu ▁Island ▁of ▁Santa ▁Cruz , ▁a ▁fan ▁from ▁the ▁Mar ques as ▁Islands ▁of ▁Pol yn esia , ▁a ▁rare ▁navigation ▁figure ▁from ▁the ▁Caroline ▁Islands ▁of ▁Mic ron esia , ▁and ▁a ▁selection ▁of ▁powerful ▁wood ▁car v ings ▁from ▁the ▁Ma ori ▁pe op les ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁The ▁Art ▁of ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁collections ▁are ▁of ▁national ▁significance ▁to ▁art ▁history , ▁anth rop ology , ▁and ▁world ▁history , ▁and ▁they ▁have ▁helped ▁establish ▁the ▁de ▁Young ▁as ▁a ▁primary ▁source ▁for ▁cultural ▁research ▁and ▁study . ▁The ▁extensive ▁collection ▁of ▁ancient ▁American ▁and ▁Native ▁American ▁art ▁compr ises ▁nearly ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁works ▁of ▁art ▁from ▁Mes o - America , ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁America , ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁of ▁North ▁America . ▁Art ▁from ▁cult ures ▁ind igen ous ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁contin ents ▁was ▁a ▁defining ▁feature ▁of ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁char ter ▁collection ▁and ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁significant ▁growth . ▁Special ▁gall eries ▁are ▁devoted ▁to ▁ancient ▁objects ▁from ▁Mexico , ▁including ▁an ▁out standing ▁grouping ▁of ▁Te