Frontier Museum

Western Trips enjoyed a visit to one of the best museums in the country to explore the life of cowboys and western American history. Everything from cowboys and cowgirls, cowboy art, western art, sculptures, a replica western town and much more is there to explore at this excellent museum.

One of the many exhibit halls

Oklahoma City, OK, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is must stop for anyone traveling through Oklahoma with an interest in cowboys, ranching, rodeos, old frontier towns and the history of people who traveled and lived in the old west. 

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is northeast of downtown Oklahoma City in an area known as Persimmon Hill. As a side note, the Persimmon Hill Garden Club has the distinction of being the oldest neighborhood garden club in the state. The street address of the museum is 1700 N.E. 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Daily. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.

Enjoy an Extraordinary Western Museum


This is a massive museum, 220,000 square feet, is a world class venue comprising extraordinary collections of art, artifacts and archival materials.Included within the museum are twelve permanent galleries and halls that cover a wide range of subjects. In the museum which was built in 1965 you can walk around and explore a thirteen thousand square foot replica of a turn-of-the-century Western town. Here you can explore a blacksmith shop, photography studio, church, schoolhouse, general store and other replica structures. It's one of the most unique western museum exhibits you'll find anywhere.

Pioneer town old photography studio

Appreciating Western art is another good reason to visit this fabulous museum. Among the western art collections are works of Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, William R. Leigh and others. The museum is unique in that it highlights both classic and contemporary western art and exhibits many great sculptures.

The Idea Took Root in the 1950's

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum originated in 1955. It was first named the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum with many people referring to it as simply the Cowboy Hall of Fame. It's mission was and is to honor the cowboy. A man named Chester A. Reynolds of Kansas City came up with the original idea based on his concern over what he felt was our country's loss of it's Western heritage.

While the original building that was completed in 1965 pretty much focused on the cowboy and cowgirls as well as noted rodeo performers along with western art and cowboy art, an addition was added in the 1990's which allowed the museum to also put a focus on the historical aspect of the American West in general. On November 16, 2000, the museum's name was officially changed to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Cowboy sculpture

Events at the  National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibits, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum also hosts western themed events throughout the year. These include the Academy of Western Art  Workshop covering a variety of subjects. 

The museum also hosts an invitational art exhibit of over 300 Western paintings and sculpture by the best contemporary Western artists in the nation. Included with this are art seminars, receptions and an awards banquet.

Scheduled for April 11-12, 2014 is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Western Heritage Awards. The awards are meant to honor those whose works in literature, music, film, and television reflect the significant stories of the American West. Also awarded at this event is the Chester A. Reynolds Memorial Award.

September 5, 2013 is the date for the Ace High: Dinner and Auction Benefitting The Cowboy. Take part in a reception and auction and help support the museum.

The links below are to two Western Trips photo articles you might also enjoy:

Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas Texas.

Texas Electric Railway Museum in Plano Texas.

Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame

Yet another example of the many events planned at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association 15th Annual Exhibition and Sale. The dates are October 11, 2013  - January 5, 2014. The association announces that they will exhibit works from TCAA members including spur making, saddlemaking, silversmithing, rawhide braiding as just some example. The event honors the culture of the American West by displaying the works of it's dedicated members.

These are only a sample of events held at the museum. For more detailed information and a complete listing see website www.nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Visiting the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

As mentioned above, the museum is located in the northeast section of Oklahoma City. Visiting this museum is an all day outing and it's great for the entire family. Western art, cowboy art, western and cowboy artifacts including a large display of rodeo artifacts are all there. This is a fun and educational venue. Western American history is displayed throughout and depending on when your visit is planned there may be interesting workshops and presentations going on. Check their website listed above for dates and times of upcoming workshops. 

Museum entrance

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum also has a dining facility called Dining on Persimmon Hill. The restaurant which offers a full menu is located in the museum's east wing and offers a view of the Western States Plaza, pool and fountain.

Also make a point of visiting the Museum Store. It's important to note that all purchases from the Museum Store supports the museum's mission of preserving and presenting the culture and history of the American West.

We know you'll enjoy your visit to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum as much as we did.


(Photos are from the author's private collection)