National Museum of Wildlife Art facts for kids
The National Museum of Wildlife Art
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| Established | May 16, 1987 |
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| Location | 2820 Rungius Road Jackson, Wyoming 83001 United States |
| Type | Wildlife Art |
| Visitors | 85,000+ annually |
The National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA) is a cool museum in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States. It's all about showing and keeping amazing wildlife art. The building is huge, about 51,000 square feet! It looks like an old castle ruin from Scotland, blending right into the hillside.
The museum sits on a hill called East Gros Ventre Butte, surrounded by real wildlife. You can even see the National Elk Refuge from there. It's just 2.5 miles north of Jackson town. The art here is mostly "realism," meaning it looks very true to life, both old and new styles. Two famous artists, Carl Rungius and Bob Kuhn, have a lot of their best work here. Besides 14 art galleries, the museum has a fun sculpture trail, a shop, a restaurant, and a special discovery gallery for kids. More than 80,000 people visit every year, including over 10,000 children who often come with their schools.
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Museum History: How It Started
The museum was started in 1987 by William and Joffa Kerr, along with some friends. It was first located in Jackson Town Square. Back then, it was called the Wildlife of the American West Museum. The Kerrs gave many of their own art pieces to begin the museum's collection.
In 1994, the NMWA moved to its current, much larger building. This new spot is 2.5 miles north of the old one. It's right across from the National Elk Refuge. In 2007, the museum added a huge sculpture called Wapiti Trail. This amazing artwork shows five elk and was made by artist Bart Walter.
Amazing Art Collections
As of 2012, the museum had over 5,000 artworks. These pieces were created by more than 550 different artists! Besides the famous works by Rungius and Kuhn, you can see art by many other talented people.
Some of these artists include:
- Albert Bierstadt
- George Catlin
- Karl Bodmer
- Charles Marion Russell
- Frederic Remington
- John James Audubon
- N.C. Wyeth
- Robert Bateman
You'll also find wildlife art by world-famous artists like Auguste Rodin, Picasso, Rembrandt, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Andy Warhol.
Explore the Sculpture Trail
The museum has a cool outdoor Sculpture Trail. It was designed by a famous landscape architect named Walter J. Hood. The trail opened in the fall of 2011. It stretches for about three-quarters of a mile, going both north and south of the museum.
When it's all finished, the trail will have 30 different art pieces. Right now, there are twenty artworks to see. The trail also has different paths, bridges, and staircases. These let you explore and see the sculptures from many different angles. The Sculpture Trail is free and open to everyone. It's also connected to the main bike path that goes into Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.
Learning and Education Programs
The museum offers many educational programs. These programs are designed for different ages and learning styles. They help visitors learn about wildlife art in fun ways.
The museum also has a research library. This library focuses on books and materials about wildlife art and artists. It also has information on art history, nature, and photography. You can visit the library by making an appointment if you want to do some research.
Special Honors and Awards
The National Museum of Wildlife Art has received some important awards. In 1994, it won the Wyoming Humanities Award. This award recognized its great work in promoting the humanities in Wyoming.
A very special honor happened in 2008. On May 8, President George W. Bush signed a bill. This bill officially recognized the NMWA as the "National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States." This means it's the national museum for wildlife art!
The Rungius Medal
The Rungius Medal is the museum's highest honor. It's named after the famous artist Carl Rungius. The museum gives this medal to people who have done amazing things. These people have made huge contributions to showing and protecting wildlife and its natural homes.
The Rungius Medal celebrates outstanding individuals and groups. They can be from the art world or even from natural sciences.
Some past Rungius Medal winners include:
- Joel Sartore (2017)
- Bill and Joffa Kerr (2007)
- Jane Goodall (2001)
- Robert Bateman (2000)
- Roger Tory Peterson (1994)
- Bob Kuhn (1992)
- Mardy Murie (1989)
