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American Indian Artists: 20th Century Masters
As Lakota artist Oscar Howe wrote in 1958, “There is much more to Indian art than pretty, stylized pictures.” This exhibition highlights this depth and the 20th century American masters who shaped it. Explore early artists such as the Kiowa Six, Tonita Peña, Harrison Begay and the institutions that influenced them — particularly the University of Oklahoma and the Santa Fe Indian School. See how their art, and that of many others, was not limited to a specific medium or…
Horseplay
The Museum’s Dickinson Research Center is home to more than 700,000 photographs, 44,000 books, and perhaps unexpectedly, at least 1,000 horses. Meet some of the herd in Horseplay, the new exhibition featuring Tom Lovell’s sketches and studies of this Western icon. The rarely seen prep work reveals how Lovell developed ideas and practiced movement, anatomy, proportion, and personality. Watch horses take shape across mediums and styles. From abstract to realistic, pencil to pastel, small-scale to large, no two are alike.…
Cowboys in Khaki
Men and women from across the American West played critical roles — both “over there” and on the home front — in helping the Allies win World War I. The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) divisions drawn from the Western states provided crucial support at a precarious time (from September to November 1918) to turn the war’s tide. Opening November 17, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum presents the exhibition Cowboys in Khaki: Westerners in the Great War to tell the stories…
Docent-Guided Signature Tour
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Meets at Canyon Princess (cougar sculpture in West Hallway) From Albert Bierstadt’s glowing landscape Emigrants Crossing the Plains to pieces by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell, see some of the finest Western art in the country. View ethnographic material from Native Americans and mountain men, and learn about frontier military life. Round out the tour with a look at the evolution of the working cowboy, from the range to their portrayal in film and pop culture.…
Docent-Guided Signature Tour
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Meets at Canyon Princess (cougar sculpture in West Hallway) From Albert Bierstadt’s glowing landscape Emigrants Crossing the Plains to pieces by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell, see some of the finest Western art in the country. View ethnographic material from Native Americans and mountain men, and learn about frontier military life. Round out the tour with a look at the evolution of the working cowboy, from the range to their portrayal in film and pop culture.…
Hearts for Art
Open Museum Hours All Galleries One day to celebrate love in not enough! Visit the Museum any time during February 1 - 14 and show your love for your favorite piece of art or artifact. Pick up a heart at Visitor Services, leave it by your selection, and share on social media using #MyWest and #HeartsForArt. While visiting, pick up the "Find the Love" guide, a selection of art from the Museum's collection that speaks of love. Free to Museum…
Bank of America Museums on Us Weekend
The Museum welcomes Bank of America customers taking advantage of Museums on Us the first full weekend of every month. Any ATM, credit or check card from Bank of America provides free general admission for the cardholder. For more details visit, http://museums.bankofamerica.com
Comic Book Art - Saturdays for Kids
Lincoln Hallway 10:00 a.m. - Noon In the 1950, the Chisholm Kid, a black cowboy from Oklahoma, was the first to be featured in a comic book. Discover more about this comic and create one of your own. Free for children and accompanying adults. Available while supplies last. This program is made possible with support from the Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation.
Hearts for Art
Sunday noon - 5:00 p.m. All Galleries One day to celebrate love in not enough! Visit the Museum any time during February 1 - 14 and show your love for your favorite piece of art or artifact. Pick up a heart at Visitor Services, leave it by your selection, and share on social media using #MyWest and #HeartsForArt. While visiting, pick up the "Find the Love" guide, a selection of art from the Museum's collection that speaks of love. Free…
Ancient. Massive. Wild. - The Bison Exhibit
February 8 - May 12, 2019 Few animals conjure the power and symbolic presence of the North American bison. Whether painted on a tipi or an artist’s canvas, minted on a nickel, or seen grazing in Yellowstone National Park, the image of the bison stirs in us deep loyalties to the North American landscape. Wild and fundamental, the bison is a familiar part of our shared heritage. This exhibition explores the meaning and significance of this iconic creature from…
Ancient. Massive. Wild. - The Bison Exhibit Opening Weekend Celebration
10:00 a.m. – Noon Museum Galleries Let’s get this stampede started! There is a herd on 63rd and you’re invited! Join the Thunder’s Rumble the Bison at the community opening of Ancient. Massive. Wild - The Bison Exhibit. Hear Rumble’s unique story, make an illustration of events in your life, discover what is made from a bison, and learn about the great American mammal’s the remarkable powers. Visit the new exhibition and celebrate with bison-themed sweets courtesy of Platt College…
Read the West Book Club: American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon
1:00 – 2:15 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room In 2005, Steven Rinella won a lottery permit to hunt for a wild buffalo, or American bison, in the Alaskan wilderness. Despite the odds — there is only a 2% chance of drawing the permit, and fewer than 20% of those hunters are successful — Rinella managed to kill a buffalo on a snow-covered mountainside. Now that the buffalo is on the verge of a dramatic ecological recovery across the West, Americans…
Ecology and the West Workshop for Elementary Teachers
S.B. "Burk" Burnett Board Room Join us for a free professional development opportunity for elementary (grades K-5) teachers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in collaboration with the College of Education and Professional Studies, University of Central Oklahoma. Engage with an environmental historian and a curator to explore the 19th - 21st century American West Learn new ways to analyze and interpret fine art and Plains Indian material culture Explore standards-based teaching resources and programs Investigate Museum collections…
Ecology and the West Workshop for Secondary Teachers
S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room Join us for a free professional development opportunity for secondary (grades 6-12) teachers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in collaboration with the College of Education and Professional Studies, University of Central Oklahoma. Engage with an environmental historian and a curator to explore the 19th – 21st century American West Learn new ways to analyze and interpret fine art and Plains Indian material culture Explore standards-based teaching resources and programs Investigate Museum collections…
Home on the Range Dinner and Film Screening
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room Put on your cowboy boots for this not-to-be-missed program with a cash bar and three-course dinner prepared by The Petroleum Club of Oklahoma City. Film director Ken Spurgeon introduces his 2018 Western Heritage Award winning docudrama, Home on the Range, the story of the iconic song that sprang up on the Kansas prairie and gained national popularity. The film stars Buck Taylor and features various recordings, from the rock group…
Special Exhibition Tours
Saturday & Sundays 1:00 p.m. Museum docents offer 45-minute tours of the spring exhibitions. Free to Museum members or Museum admission. No reservations required.
Wild Wits Trivia Night
Prosperity Junction and Galleries A casual night of trivia, fun, and prizes! Start your own team or join a table of soon-to-be-friends and show off what you know. View the Museum's new exhibitions and enjoy some competition and lively conversation. Trivia Night is sure to be a great time for all! Pizza and popcorn provided. Cash bar. Participants must be 21+ years old. Tickets are $10. Register Now!
Introduction to Blacksmithing - Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Workshop
February 20 – 22, 2019 Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Workshop: Introduction to Blacksmithing 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Capron Bits and Spurs, Christoval, Texas In conjunction with the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA), this workshop will introduce tools used in blacksmithing and their function. Tools, including chisels and punches, will be created using principles of blacksmithing and can be utilized in the bit and spur making process. The culminating project, a set of tongs, will be constructed exercising the techniques…
The Bison as American Icon
9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater Few animals conjure the power and symbolic presence of the North American bison. Wild and fundamental, the bison is a familiar part of our shared heritage. Explore the National Cowboy Museum’s newest exhibition through lively lectures, exhibition tours, a reading and discussion program, and an award-winning documentary film. Register at: education.okstate.edu/olli, or call (405) 744-5868. February 21 Lecture: The American Bison: Past, Present, and Future James H. Shaw, Ph.D.,…
Oklahoma Heritage Concert
Special Events Center 10:30 a.m. Students can celebrate the Oklahoma’s 111th birthday and watch history come to life at the National Cowboy Museum with stage performances by Rodeo Opry, using an interactive program to teach Oklahoma history, music and culture. This educational music experience takes participants through trials and triumphs, including Native American heritage, the Dust Bowl, state symbols and famous Oklahomans. Follow up the concert with self-exploration of Museum galleries. Visit select gallery stations to learn more about art…
Bison and Beer Paint Night
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Museum Entrance and Galleries Wind down from the stresses of the day with this fun, one-night painting event! Visit the Museum for a painting class under instruction from local artist Courtney Abbott. In conjunction with The Bison Exhibit, create your own colorful bison silhouette painting. While here, get a jump on spring shopping in The Museum Store. $45; $40 for Museum members. All supplies provided, including light hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. Reservations required by February…
Weatherschool
Weather School Special Events Center 10:30 a.m. NewsChannel 4 and the National Cowboy Museum are teaming up to present Weather school, a great way for kids to learn about Oklahoma’s ever-changing weather in a lively format with the KFOR 4Warn Storm Team. Following Weather school, explore the Museum’s exhibitions to discover the role of weather in the West. Bring a sack lunch to enjoy after the 45-minute presentation, then explore weather-related art in the Museum galleries. Weather school will begin…
The Bison as Popular Icon - Brown Bag Lunch Series
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater Nathan Jones, Associate Curator of Cowboy Culture, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, discusses the impact of the bison as a popular icon. Tracing a story that spans millennia using artifacts and other documentary sources, Jones tells the story of an animal that has been a central symbol to Western identity. From cave paintings to currency, see how both the bison’s presence and absence has shaped our cultures. Bring your lunch…
Bison Film Fest: Bless The Beasts & Children (1971)
2:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater Director Stanley Kramer brings to the screen the important story of six wealthy misfits who, while attending a summer riding camp, set out to free a herd of buffalo scheduled to be shot the next day. The boys find their lives turned around by Cotton, who, in a hot-wired pickup, challenges them to join efforts to save a herd of buffalo and rediscover themselves in the process. 1 h, 41 m, PG. Free…
Depicting the Grasslands – Bison in Wildlife Art - Brown Bag Lunch Series
Noon – 1:00 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room What is it about the bison that makes it such a potent symbol? Join Adam Duncan Harris, Curator, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming, as he explores how Western art can help us understand humanity’s relationship with wildlife and nature. Harris presents a selection of Western art paintings and sculptures representing the wildlife and history of this region. He examines the legacy of complex artist George Catlin through paintings produced…
Read the West Book Club: Betrayal at the Buffalo Ranch
1:00 – 2:15 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room When Angus Clyborn’s Buffalo Ranch opens in Cherokee country, murder, thievery, and a missing white buffalo calf take Sadie Walela and her wolfdog on a dangerous and wild ride. The publication is available in The Museum Store (15% discount for Museum members). The Read the West Book Club meets once a month in January, February, and March. Cost for the series is $25, $20 for Museum members, and includes refreshments and…
The Destruction of the American Bison - Brown Bag Lunch Series
Noon – 1:00 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room What is it about the bison that makes it such a potent symbol? In conjunction with The Bison Exhibit, Andrew C. Isenberg, Hall Professor of American History at the University of Kansas, examines the decline of the North American bison population. Isenberg presents the destruction as the outcome of an integrated dynamic process involving the volatile natural environment of the Great Plains, the ecological and economic invasion of the Euroamericans, and…
A Date with the Duke: The Quiet Man (1952)
5:00 – 8:00 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room In The Quiet Man (1952), Sean Thornton is a retired American boxing champion trying to put tragedy behind him by returning to Innisfree, the Irish village of his birth. He buys the house where he was born from its current owner, enraging the wealthy and bellicose Red Will Danaher, who had designs on the property himself. On arriving at his cottage, Thornton finds it being swept out by Mary Kate, a…
Bison Bonanza: Family Sleepover
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 a.m., with Rumble stopping by from 9:30 - 10:00 p.m. Begins at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum; Ends at the OKC Zoo Explore the magnificent American bison at this family sleepover! Trek through The Bison Exhibit after dark for a fun, hands-on evening of discovery! Each child makes an enrichment snack for bison MaryAnn who live (and sleep) at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Before bedtime enjoy the Disney Channel family drama, Buffalo Dreams (2005,…
Bison Film Fest: Buffalo Dreams (2005)
2:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater After accepting Josh Townsend, a transplant from Chicago who just moved to the community with his family, into his circle of friends, Thomas Blackhorse is hurt and angry when Josh betrays a confidence and reveals the location of a sacred Navajo landmark to vandals. To save his friendship with Thomas and preserve the local customs, Josh challenges the leader of the vandals to a dangerous mountain bike race. Josh and Thomas must work…
Spring Break Drop-in Activites
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. March 18 Make a Tipi Nomadic Plains Indians followed their food sources and had to pack up and move quickly. Portable shelter, like tipis, made this easier. Make your own miniature version! March 19 Canvas Art Create your one-of-a-kind work of art with a…
Make A Tipi - Spring Break Activities
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. Nomadic Plains Indians followed their food sources and had to pack up and move quickly. Portable shelter, like tipis, made this easier. Make your own miniature version!
Canvas Art - Spring Break Activities
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. Canvas Art Create your one-of-a-kind work of art with a canvas and acrylic paints. Paint a bison, landscape, or whatever your heart desires. Hang it on your wall or gift it to someone special.
Parfleche - Spring Break Activities
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. Parfleche Many Plains Indian tribes were nomadic – traveling the Great Plains on horseback and on foot. A common item used for packing was the parfleche bag. Made from rawhide, these durable storage bags protected a variety of items. Create a parfleche bag and use it…
Cherokee Storyteller - Spring Break Activities
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. Gayle Ross – Cherokee Storyteller Storyteller Gayle Ross shares Cherokee tales from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Following the storytelling session, try out traditional Native American games including Game of Grace, ball and cup, and more.
The Bison and its Meaning to Indigenous Cultures - Brown Bag Lunch Series
Noon – 1:00 p.m. What is it about the bison that makes it such a potent symbol? Gayle Ross (Cherokee) shares stories about the bison. A sacred and strong giver of life, bison are tied to creation, medicine, and sacred messages. Listen to Ross’s riveting stories about the bison’s importance in Native American culture and heritage. Bring your lunch or purchase one at The Museum Grill. Reservations are not required. Free admission to the Board Room and The Museum Grill.…
Bison Gallery Hunt - Spring Break Activities
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., while supplies last Various Museum Locations It is Spring Break across the Oklahoma City Metro area! Drop by and participate in family friendly activities inspired by the Museum’s exhibits. Bison Gallery Hunt Bison were essential to the lives of Plains Indians. Their meat, hide, and bones provided food, shelter, clothing, and other important items. The Museum’s galleries contain many examples of items made from bison as well as artwork celebrating them. This gallery hunt will…
Bison Film Fest: Facing the Storm: Story of the American Bison (2010)
2:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater Facing the Storm is the epic account of the tempestuous relationship with the iconic symbol of wild America. The American bison once dominated the plains of North America, numbering in the tens of millions. Native Plains Indians shared a sacred relationship with the species that went far beyond survival and sustenance. Then, in the 19th century they were nearly eradicated from the continent, and an entire Plains culture was forever changed. 78 minutes.…
Bison Film Fest: The White Buffalo (1977)
2:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater At the close of 1874, a haunted, dying Wild Bill Hickok teams up with a grieving Crazy Horse to hunt a murderous albino buffalo. Along the way, he meets Crazy Horse, who is also searching for the giant white buffalo, and they team up to kill the elusive animal. An offbeat movie that combines the expected western movie clichés, rip-roaring adventure, and monster movie conventions, 1 hr, 37 m. Rated PG. Free to…
The Buffalo War: Brown Bag Lunch Series
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Dub and Mozelle Richardson Theater Michael Grauer, McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, shares a multi-cultural and much-layered story involving Native Americans, Anglo Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans. This collision of cultures revolved around the conscious destruction of the American bison as a lifeways resource for native peoples and as a product for the Industrial Revolution. Bring your lunch or purchase one at The Museum Grill. Reservations are not required.…
Saturdays for Kids: Bison Tales
10:00 a.m. – Noon Museum Hallway and Galleries The bison were once essential to the lives of many Plains Indians. Hear intriguing tales about bison and other Western wildlife and create a craft to take home. Stories begin at 10:15, 10:45, 11:15 and 11:45 a.m. Free for children and accompanying adults.
Spring Garden Tour
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Museum Gardens Museum docents offer a tour of the Museum Gardens. Enjoy the plethora of plants and flowers native to the American West. Learn about the land in which the story of the West is rooted. Leave plenty of time to check out The Museum Store! Free to Museum members or with Museum admission. Weather permitting.
2019 Western Heritage Awards
59th Annual Western Heritage Awards April 12 – 13, 2019 The Museum’s Western Heritage Awards was established in 1961 as the pinnacle commemoration of the American West by honoring the legacy of men and women for their works in literature, music, film, and television. The evening includes the induction of individuals into the Hall of Great Western Performers and the Hall of Great Westerners who made extraordinary contributions to shaping the American West’s rich heritage. The evening continues with…
Plein Air Paint Out
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Museum Gardens Be a part of this plein air paint out. Pull out your paints, pastels, and pencils, set up an easel, and join other art lovers in the Museum’s beautiful gardens. Bring your own art materials to capture a trail, scenic vista, portrait, or water scene! Free to Museum members or with Museum admission.
Prairie-to-Table Dining at the Cowboy
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Western States Plaza and Gardens (Rain back-up location: S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room) Join Museum President & CEO Natalie Shirley and experience flavors of the American West through great food and drink. The special prairie-themed menu is prepared and presented by the Petroleum Club of Oklahoma City. Cash bar. $65, $55 for Museum members. Reservations required; register by April 12 at Register now! Appetizer: Paleo chili with sour cream and green onions Salad: Arugula, cactus, avocado, roasted…
Teddy Roosevelt: The Cowboy President and the Return of the Bison
5:30 – 8:30 p.m. S.B. “Burk” Burnett Board Room Enjoy a first person presentation with Teddy Roosevelt as he discusses his travels to the Dakotas to find bison “before they were all gone.” He tells the story of how his time in the West changed his life, from a thin, young city slicker to a robust and adventurous cowboy. Stories include saloon fights, encounters with wild people and animals, and how these experiences gave him the insight and courage to protect and preserve…
Roam the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Join the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for a special day trip to the serene and picturesque Tallgrass Prairie Preserve guided by Oklahoma Nature Conservancy Communications Relations Coordinator Harvey Payne. Discover the largest protected remnant of tallgrass prairie left on earth, home to the imperiled prairie chicken, more than 700 plant species, and 2,200 wild bison. Coinciding with the birth of baby bison in their natural habitat, the bus will explore the bison loop and the cabin of Osage…
Special Exhibition Tours
Saturday & Sundays 1:00 p.m. Museum docents offer 45-minute tours of the spring exhibitions. Free to Museum members or Museum admission. No reservations required.
Prix de West Workshop: Painting Atmosphere and Reflected Light
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Museum Classrooms Dan Mieduch has painted for more than 40 years. He will demonstrate his special technique for capturing a subject and creating a feeling of air and depth of field. He teaches principles of reflected light using pops of color, and reveals what he calls an “easy” way to infuse paintings with life and sparkle. Students are encouraged to bring previous work for Mieduch to transform by brightening and adding his unique touch. Skill…
The 47th annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts a prestigious invitational art exhibition of more than 300 Western paintings and sculpture by the finest contemporary Western artists in the nation with art seminars, receptions, and awards. The exhibiting artists bring a diversity of styles to this significant art exhibition and sale. Works range from historical pieces that reflect the early days of the West, to more contemporary and impressionistic works of art. Landscapes, wildlife, and illustrative scenes are always highlighted…
Prix de West Workshop: Painting the Canyons of the West
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Museum Classrooms Western painter G. Russell Case is inspired by nature, with its simple shapes, hard lines, and shadows. His landscapes are compositions that combine the natural world’s beauty with the rich imagination and originality of an artist’s mind. Case will focus on basic landscape approaches with an emphasis on the Western canyons as the subject. Students may use landscapes of their choice. Skill level: beginner to advanced. $480 per person; $400 per Museum member.…
Spiro and the Native American Art of the Mississippian World
The Spiro people, and their Mississippian peers, are nearly forgotten in the pages of North American history, yet they created one of the most exceptional and highly developed societies in all of the Americas. This exhibition explores the archaeological and historical data connecting the Spiro site and its people to other communities throughout North and Central America, and offers an interpretation into the nature of their community, religious activities, farming and hunting practices, and daily life. The exhibition also shows…
