This is The Cowboy
Cowboy Hall of Fame? Just call us The Cowboy.
The cowboy is far more than a stereotype, and so is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the premier institution dedicated to Western history, art and culture in the United States.
You may have grown up calling it The Cowboy Hall of Fame, but today it is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum — or simply, The Cowboy. A dynamic cultural institution, The Cowboy preserves and interprets the evolving story of the American West for millions of visitors from around the world.
The West continues to shape American and global culture. Its story — one of grit, determination and diverse experiences across vast landscapes — is inseparable from the story of America itself.
Founded in Oklahoma City in 1955, and situated right on historic Route 66, the Museum has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and houses an internationally renowned permanent collection of more than 28,000 Western and Native American art and historic artifacts. It holds the world’s most extensive collections of American rodeo photographs, barbed wire, saddlery and early rodeo trophies.
The Museum features an exceptional collection of classic and contemporary Western art by masters such as Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, along with James Earle Fraser’s iconic The End of the Trail.
The Museum is also home to Prix de West, the nation’s premier invitational exhibition and sale of contemporary Western art. Held annually since 1973, Prix de West showcases leading Western artists from across the country and has become one of the most prestigious events in fine Western art. The Museum maintains a dedicated Prix de West Gallery, featuring works acquired through the exhibition for its permanent collection.
Visitors can explore immersive exhibitions and galleries throughout the Museum, including Prosperity Junction, a 14,000-square-foot recreation of a turn-of-the-century Western prairie town, along with galleries exploring the American cowboy, rodeo, Native American cultures, Victorian firearms and frontier military history.
The Western Performers Gallery celebrates the entertainers who shaped the popular image of the American West through film, television and live performance. From Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows to Hollywood’s singing cowboys and modern Western storytellers, the gallery explores how performers carried the spirit of the West to audiences around the world.
The Museum is also home to several prestigious halls honoring the people and traditions of the West, including the National Rodeo Hall of Fame, the Hall of Great Westerners, the Hall of Great Western Performers, and the Professional Bull Riders Heroes & Legends Hall of Fame.
Families can explore Liichokoshkomo’ (pronounced Lee-cho-kosh-ko-MO), Chickasaw for “Let’s play!” This 100,000-square-foot outdoor experience features waterfalls, Native American structures, a train depot, a rodeo arena and a recreation of Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, offering hands-on learning in an unforgettable setting.
Now Featuring The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey
Step inside the story of the American West like never before with The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey, a 360-degree cinematic experience now open at The Cowboy. Sweeping projections, powerful soundscapes and expansive Western landscapes surround visitors in a multisensory exploration of cowboy culture.
Created in collaboration with Lighthouse Immersive, producers of Immersive Van Gogh, the exhibition brings to life the thunder of cattle drives, the rise of rodeo and Wild West shows, and the enduring global influence of the cowboy in a fully immersive environment.
We invite you to “Find Your West” at The Cowboy today. From rotating exhibitions to immersive experiences and engaging programs for all ages, there is something for everyone, whether you visit for an hour or spend the entire day exploring.
