Kumeyaay Ipai Interpretive Center, Poway

About Kumeyaay Ipai Interpretive Center

The Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center at Pauwai presents the archaeological evidence of a Native American community that thrived here long before Spanish arrival. Visitors take docent-led or self-guided tours of the site, where they encounter reconstructed structures and artifacts that demonstrate traditional lifeways. The center features ewaas, which are traditional grass houses, ramadas for shade and work, and a milling and grinding station with mortars that show food preparation methods. A video tour titled "Kumeyaay Uses of Plants" documents how the Kumeyaay-Ipai people utilized local vegetation. The interpretive center was founded through partnership between the City of Poway, Friends of the Kumeyaay, and the San Pasqual Band of Indians. The site suits visitors interested in regional Native American history and archaeology. Located in Poway, California, the center opens on the third Saturday of each month.