National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum facts for kids

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Established	1955
Location	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Type	Hall of fame

Several fountains were originally part of the grounds of the then named National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in May 1972.

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is an exciting museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It holds over 28,000 amazing art pieces and items from the American West and Native American cultures. You can see the world's biggest collection of rodeo photos, barbed wire, saddles, and old rodeo trophies here. The museum helps us understand and remember the history of the American West. It has many paintings by famous artists like Charles Marion Russell and Frederic Remington. Each June, the museum also hosts the annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale. This is a top event for Western American Art, where artists sell their original works to help the museum.

History of the Museum

Bulldogging photo of "Cowboy Morgan Evans", 1927 World Champion

The museum started in 1955. It was the idea of Chester A. Reynolds, who wanted to honor cowboys and their way of life. It was first called the "Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum." Later that same year, its name changed to the "National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum." In 1960, it changed again to the "National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center." In 2000, the museum received full accreditation and got its current name.

To remember its founder, the museum gives out the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award. This award goes to a person or group who helps keep the history of the American West alive.

Exploring the Exhibits

The museum has a huge display area, covering more than 200,000 square feet. Its art collection includes over 2,000 Western art pieces. The "William S. and Ann Atherton Art of the American West Gallery" is 15,000 square feet. This space shows landscapes, portraits, colorful still lifes, and sculptures. These works are by artists from the 1800s and 1900s. You can see over 200 pieces by Russell, Remington, Albert Bierstadt, and others. The collection also has over 700 works by Edward S. Curtis. Plus, there are over 350 pieces by Joe De Yong. You can also see the large sculpture of James Earle Fraser's End of the Trail.

The museum also displays modern Western art. These pieces were created in the last 30 years by artists who won the Prix de West award. The first winner was a large oil painting by Clark Hulings. It showed a mule team crossing a Grand Canyon trail in deep winter snow.

The Hunters' Supper (detail) by Frederic Remington, circa 1909

The historical galleries offer a look into different parts of Western life:

• The American Cowboy Gallery explores the life of working cowboys and ranching history.
• The American Rodeo Gallery looks like a 1950s rodeo arena. It shows the history of America's own sport.
• The Joe Grandee Museum of the Frontier West Gallery displays over 4,500 items. These once belonged to Western artist Joe Grandee.
• The Native American Gallery focuses on how Western tribes decorated everyday items. These decorations showed their beliefs and stories.
• The Weitzenhoffer Gallery of Fine American Firearms has over 100 examples of old firearms. These include guns from famous companies like Colt and Winchester.

The museum also features Prosperity Junction. This is a 14,000-square-foot, real-looking Western prairie town from the early 1900s. Visitors can walk its streets and look into store windows. You can hear antique player pianos and even step inside some fully furnished buildings.

In 2020, the museum opened an interactive children's museum called Liichokoshkomo’. This outdoor area means "let’s play." It covers over 100,000 square feet. Kids can learn through fun activities. They can dodge a geyser, grind corn, or load a pioneer wagon.

In September 2022, it was announced that the museum's American Rodeo Gallery would house the Professional Bull Riders Heroes & Legends hall of fame. This new section opened in 2023. The museum is also home to the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, which started in 1955.

Western Heritage Awards

"The Wrangler" in bronze

Every year, the museum hosts the Western Heritage Awards. During this event, they give out the Bronze Wrangler award. This is a special bronze sculpture created by artist John Free. It is given to the main creators of winning works in different categories. These categories include Western literature, music, film, and television.

Halls of Fame

During the Western Heritage Awards, new members are also added to the Hall of Great Western Performers. This hall honors people who brought the American West to life in movies and on television.

Famous people inducted include John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and Tom Selleck. In 2025, actors Graham Greene and Anthony Quinn were inducted.

The museum also has its Hall of Great Westerners. This hall honors people who show the true spirit and story of the American West. The first group of Great Westerners in 1955 included Will Rogers, Theodore Roosevelt, and Charles Goodnight. Other famous people inducted include Levi Strauss and Sandra Day O'Connor.

National Rodeo Hall of Fame

"Cowboy Morgan Evans" 1928 World Series Rodeo Contest entry chit

Each year, members of the Rodeo Historical Society (RHS) vote for new members to join the National Rodeo Hall of Fame. This hall is located at the museum. The museum holds a special dinner and ceremony in November to celebrate the new inductees.

Here are a few of the members of the Rodeo Hall of Fame and when they were inducted:

Donald C. and Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center

The Donald C. and Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center opened on June 26, 1965. It was first known as the Research Library of Western Americana. Today, this center is the museum's library and archives. It holds many books, photographs, oral histories, and old papers. These focus on Western popular culture, Western art, ranching, Native Americans, and rodeo.

External links

• Museum website