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The National Cowboy Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum sits in the heart of Oklahoma City, where it has shared the story of the American West since 1955. This 220,000-square-foot building was first known as the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center.
Inside, visitors will find more than 28,000 pieces of Western and American Indian art and artifacts. The museum’s collection ranges from detailed Remington sculptures to real chuck wagons that once fed hungry cowboys on the trail.
Large Collection of Historic Barbed Wire Shows Ranch Life Evolution
The museum keeps over 8,000 different types of barbed wire that tell the story of how ranching changed in the American West. These metal pieces show how ranchers dealt with land disputes and came up with new ways to manage their cattle.
In the display cases, you’ll spot rare wire samples from the 1870s, including Joseph Glidden’s original ‘The Winner’ design and other types that were never mass-produced. Each piece has its own pattern of twists and sharp points that helped ranchers mark and protect their land.
Hands-on Learning Area Lets Children Experience Cowboy Life
The museum is also home to Liichokoshkomo’, an interactive children’s museum that opened in 2020. Meaning ‘let’s play’ in the Muscogee (Creek) language, this outdoor space spans over 100,000 square feet and provides hands-on learning opportunities through fun activities.
Children can engage in playful experiences like dodging a geyser, grinding corn, and loading a pioneer wagon. The museum’s design encourages creativity and exploration, making it a fun and educational experience for young visitors.
Building Design Captures Spirit of the Old West
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City features a modern design with hyperbolic paraboloids, originally created by Begrow & Brown in the 1960s. The light, airy structure set the stage for a unique space.
Renovations and additions over time, including a new central courtyard and a 100,000-square-foot outdoor educational expansion, have enhanced the visitor experience while preserving the original design. These updates align with the museum’s mission to celebrate the history, art, and culture of the American West.
Realistic Town Setup Shows Life in 1900s Cattle Country
Visitors can walk through Prosperity Junction, a 14,000-square-foot model of a cattle town from the 1900s. The indoor space has everything you’d find in an old Western town, including a train station with a steam engine, a working telegraph office, and a saloon with original furnishings.
Special lights make it seem like time is passing from day to night. Recorded sounds of horses walking and wagon wheels turning make you feel like you’re really there, while the buildings hold real items from the time period.
Native American Gallery Features Traditional and Modern Art
More than 2,500 Native American items fill this gallery, showing centuries of tribal history and culture. You can see detailed beadwork made by Plains tribes, traditional clothes from Southwest peoples, and special items used in ceremonies.
The gallery’s walls display ledger art, which are drawings made by Plains Indians that show their daily life and important events. Modern Native American artists also have their work on display, showing how they use old techniques to create new art.
Art Gallery Displays Famous Western Paintings and Sculptures
More than 2,000 pieces of Western art fill these rooms, including works by famous artists Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, and Albert Bierstadt. The art shows how views of the West changed over time, from simple drawings by early explorers to more dramatic scenes painted later.
Among the standout pieces are Remington’s bronze sculpture ‘The Broncho Buster’ and Russell’s series of buffalo hunt paintings. Each work gives visitors a different view of life in the Old West.
Records of Champion Cowboys Fill Rodeo History Section
This section tells the stories of hundreds of people who made rodeo what it is today. Visitors can look at competition gear used by famous riders, including champion saddles and decorated belt buckles.
The displays show how ranch work turned into the sport of rodeo, with items like Casey Tibbs’ saddles helping tell the story. Photos and written accounts explain how events like bull riding and barrel racing began.
Original Chuck Wagons Show How Cowboys Ate on Cattle Drives
The museum has the biggest collection of chuck wagons in North America. These traveling kitchens went with cowboys on long cattle drives, carrying all the food and cooking tools they needed.
Visitors can see the cast iron pots and basic tools that camp cooks used to feed hungry cowboys. Recipe cards and cooking equipment show what kind of meals cowboys ate while moving cattle across the frontier.
Weapons Display Shows How Guns Changed the West
The gun collection helps explain how the West changed as weapons got better. Rare guns on display include Wyatt Earp’s Colt Peacemaker and Wild Bill Hickok’s Smith & Wesson Model 2.
Visitors can see how guns evolved from simple flintlocks to newer repeating rifles. Tools used by gunsmiths show how these weapons were made and fixed on the frontier.
Movie Props and Costumes Show Hollywood’s Version of the West
This section explores how movies shaped what people think about the American West. Visitors can see real items from Western films, including John Wayne’s hat from ‘True Grit’ and other movie props.
The display cases hold old movie posters, photos taken during filming, and personal items that belonged to Western film stars. Each piece shows how Hollywood turned Western history into entertainment.
Research Library Preserves Written Records of Western History
The Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Library holds over 200,000 items about the American West. Scholars can study rare books, pioneers’ journals, and thousands of photos showing life in the 1800s.
The collection includes old maps of Western territories and newspapers from frontier towns. Special temperature controls protect these one-of-a-kind materials from damage.
Gardens and Walking Paths Show Plants from Different Western Regions
The museum’s 37 acres of grounds feature gardens filled with plants that grow naturally in Oklahoma. Visitors can walk paths that show different Western environments, from prairie grasslands to desert areas.
Large bronze statues stand in the outdoor sculpture garden, including James Earle Fraser’s famous ‘End of the Trail.’ Signs along the paths name the local plants and explain how Native Americans and settlers used them.
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