The Best Western History Museums
When it comes to the American West, there are few institutions more revered than a western history museum. These venerable repositories honor the frontier’s people, the culture and the landscape. They also provide a valuable educational resource by helping visitors understand the past and appreciate its place in modern society.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City is home to the world’s most extensive collection of cowboy memorabilia, including saddles and trophies. Its galleries also contain Native American art, photography and firearms.
From its modest beginnings, the museum has become one of the most respected western heritage centers in the country. Its path to the top was not without rough patches, however. A founding director’s autocratic style and certain early less-than-ethical practices landed the institution in what founder Bobby D. Weaver delicately terms “a legal tangle.”
Today, the museum is the premier destination for all things cowboy and the Western experience. It features a huge permanent collection and hosts numerous special exhibitions, lectures, performances and other events. The museum’s mission is to preserve and present the history of the American cowboy and Western culture, and to educate, inspire and entertain.
The Autry Museum of Western and American Art is a must-see for any visitor to Los Angeles. Its expansive collection spans over a century of Western and Native American art. This includes paintings, sculptures and photographs. The museum’s current exhibits include “The Silent Film Era,” which showcases Western-themed posters from this remarkable period of commercial lithography, and “Human Nature” which reveals four key California stories of culture and ecology with American Indian objects and contemporary art, including a reinstallation of the acclaimed Edward S. Curtis exhibition, which continues through 2023.
In addition to the world’s largest collection of cowboy memorabilia, the museum houses a large selection of historic and contemporary Western art. Its permanent collections also feature Native American art and a gallery dedicated to preserving the work of Charles M. Russell, considered one of the greatest Western artists of all time.
During the early years of the movie industry, the western was paramount to many studios. This is evident by the fact that most of the first films to be released were westerns. In the gallery at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, you will find a small cinema with films that ran during this time. In addition, the gallery features a number of life-size cowboy and Native American dioramas that are amazingly realistic. They can be a great way to take you back in time for a fun family outing. The museum also has a large collection of cowboy boots and saddles. Those interested in firearms will be fascinated by the large collection of weapons that are on display. This includes a rifle that was used by President Calvin Coolidge when he dedicated Mt. Rushmore and a collection of antique guns. The museum also has a very extensive collection of Native American art and beadwork that is on display as well.