2024 Spring Members Preview RSVP

Treasures from our Vault is a rare glimpse at some of the typically tucked away art and artifacts in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s vast collections. Our curators have combed through more than a million archival documents and photographs and nearly 25,000 historic objects, cultivating the stories behind many strange, unusual and seldom seen items. The exhibition also highlights the challenges of preserving these priceless objects for generations to come and the future plans for expanding the vault itself.

The Oklahoma Native art scene of the 1970s through 1990s was exuberant, sometimes excessive, and marked by rapid changes. The seven women artists in Lighting Pathways: Matriarchs of Native American Art came from diverse tribes and overcame challenges, difficult to imagine today. They forged successful careers in the bustling heyday of the late 20th-century Oklahoma Native art world. Drawing from cultural symbolism and stories, they each shared their own visions of Native identity, history, and worldviews with Native and non-Native audiences. These women made their voices heard and are today recognized for their impact on Native American art.

This exhibition is curated by America Meredith (Cherokee Nation) and Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder (Kiowa/Seminole/Mvskoki)