Teachers & Schools
Welcome, educators! We can’t wait to help your students discover The Cowboy!
What is the American West? If you’re looking to extend learning beyond the classroom, we provide several programs that bring that history to life, from the cowboy era to Native American cultures and Western art.
With hands-on activities and interactive displays, students will gain a deeper understanding of historical events, cultural traditions and artistic achievements.
Find the perfect tour, program, or event for your classroom and let your students find their place in the West!
School Tours & Field Trips
Animal Tales
Foster imagination and critical thinking through animal folklore! Engage with tall tales, fables, legends and stories that impart lessons, values, insights and creative explanations for nature.
(60-minute tour)
American Cowboy
Trace the heart of cowboy culture from its vibrant origin story to the adrenaline-pumping world of modern rodeo. Compete in a cattle drive challenge and identify the tools and technology on which survival depends. Leave with an understanding and deep appreciation for what the cowboy represents
(60-minute tour)
➤Teacher Guide: American Cowboy
First Peoples
This land is the ancestral home to many First American nations. The arrival of immigrants introduced new trade items and materials for daily use, however it also brought about the loss of land and lifeways. Explore these defining challenges and the perseverance of Native people and culture.
(60-minute tour)
People on the Move
Discover the forces that expanded a nation through the dreams, challenges and motivations that sparked westward movement and settlement. The results transformed America’s landscape, added to its complex history and continue to impact our society.
(60-minute tour)
➤Teacher Guide: People on the Move
Geo-Detectives
Explore vast and diverse environments using the Five Themes of Geography to grasp a clearer understanding of each concept within the context of the American West, its lands and cultures, past and present
(60-minute tour)
Go West, Young Artist
Explore the impact of significant artwork of the American West by examining how the elements of composition are used by artists to reveal the uniqueness of the land and its people. Students will develop their skills of art criticism through this active discovery of the Museum’s featured pieces.
(60 minute tour)
Art of the American West
Study the artists who defined Western art and the contemporary visionaries shaping its future. Dive into the techniques and stories behind these great works.
(60-minute tour)
Oklahoma History
Journey through time to examine three significant eras in the development of the state, with specific focus to Indigenous cultures, the legacy of military presence, and the economic growth of early boomtowns prior to statehood. Meet people through stories and artifacts that shaped Oklahoma’s unique heritage.
(60-minute tour)
➤Teacher Guide: Oklahoma History
Origin of the Cowboy
Trace the beginnings of the cattle ranching industry, life on the trails and the evolution of the working cowboy into an entertainment icon, modern rodeo athlete and a national symbol.
(60-minute tour)
Self-Guided Tours
Teacher-directed tours are welcome anytime. Think about the Museum as an extension of your classroom. Create your own lessons, scavenger hunts, and self-guided field experiences or utilize one of the Museum’s inquiry-based gallery guides to explore. When you schedule your visit, staff can provide suggestions.
➤Prosperity Junction Challenge (Grades 2-5)
FAQ
This addresses common questions related to School Tour Reservations, Admission Rates, Making Payment, Lunch Facilities, Rules for Schools and more.
Educational Resources
NEW! Professional Development Opportunities
The Museum invites districts, schools and teachers to enjoy a partnership in education by providing interactive and engaging training sessions led by experienced educators and curriculum leaders. Contact us to schedule our free in-services, offered on-site or via remote learning. (Appropriate for Grades 3-12.)
pmerrill@nationalcowboymuseum.org
Seeing is Believing, Investigations of Imagery, Art, and Artifacts
Exploring Inquiry: The 5-E Lesson Design Model
The Dickinson Research Center
The Dickinson Research Center (DRC) is a specialized library and archive dedicated to preserving and providing access to an extensive collection of materials related to the American West. It includes significant documents, books, periodicals, films, photograph, oral histories and more. The DRC offers public access to its collections, as well as assistance in academic research, to engage and inform guests about the significance of the American West in national and global contexts.
Digital Discovery
This dynamic collection of video content is built upon the Museum’s art, artifacts and exhibitions. Each piece of content is crafted to complement and enhance your educational objectives, making history resonate with today’s tech-savvy learners. With Digital Discovery, you’re connecting students to the experts and history makers that define Western heritage!
Traveling Trunks
Whether setting the stage for a Museum visit or enhancing your curriculum, Traveling Trunks are the perfect resource. They include artifacts, tools, clothing, images of artwork from the Museum’s collection, primary source activities, assessment suggestions, and story books to share with students. Best of all? They’re yours to borrow – free of charge! Simply pick them up and return them when you’re done. Don’t miss this opportunity to bring history to life in your classroom!
Library Outreach
Reading Rodeo
Children’s groups are invited to The Cowboy any week day in June and July to participate in a roaring good time, reading an inspiring story about the West, creating your own souvenir, and taking a “trail ride” through our galleries with Cookie, our Chuckwagon Cook. Reservations are required. Email Cookie at jaceves@thecowboy.org
Student Tour Rates Available.
Summer 2026 Program Options:
Armadillo Tattletale
Cowboy Camp
Grandma’s Tipi
Annie Oakley
Jackson Sundown
Bill Pickett
Libraries and Young Cowpokes
Invite Cookie, our Chuckwagon Cook, to your hometown or school library for a special storytime together, hands-on activity, and “make-n-take” souvenir. Enjoy the tales and adventures of people, animals, and places of the American West.
One hour program. Cost $225 plus mileage for programs exceeding 100 miles.
Bookings can be made. Email Cookie at jaceves@thecowboy.org
