National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum

History

Since it was founded in 1955, the National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum has been the premier location for preserving and exploring Western history. Located in the middle of Oklahoma City, the National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum has been recognized for having a variety of art, which truly shows what life was like in the West.

In addition to the abundance of art, the museum recognizes a variety of historical societies, such as the Annie Oakley Society. The National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum also partners with a few corporations to make a positive impact on local businesses and the overall economy.

Permanent Attractions

Like most museums, the National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum has permanent and special attractions. The permanent attractions are comprised of purely prized artifacts that the museum is fortunate enough to own.

The Jack and Phoebe Cooke American Cowboy Gallery occupies approximately 8,000 square feet of the museum, and is regarded as the gallery with the richest history in the museum. This gallery is full of artifacts that have intricate detailing and descriptions, which makes it easy to learn about the dense history. One of the highlights of this attraction is the abundance of equipment that is found here, such as saddles and spurs.

The Weitzenhoffer Fine Firearms Gallery is sponsored by Ackerman McQueen, and is home to over 100 historic firearms. Each firearm has a different mechanical structure and design. The variety of firearms tells a story about what life was like in the West, and how owning a firearm was like a style statement.

More Things to See

The Lynn Hickey American Rodeo Gallery transports visitors to what a historical rodeo would feel like. This interpretive attraction occupies approximately 6,500 square feet, and acts as a fun and exciting way for people to explore the history of what was the most popular sport in the West.

Halls of Fame serve as areas where the influential men and women of the West are truly honored and memorialized. Visitors will feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and motivation while walking through the Halls of Fame and learning about the people who impacted history.

Plan Your Visit

Education is extremely important to the National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum. The museum actively works to ensure that everyone, regardless of their age, can extensively learn about art and the West. For school children, the museum offers a variety of field trips such as; self-guided, guided, and specialized. If traveling to the museum isn’t an option for children, the museum can come to them through the various online units and the Traveling Trunks program. The online units are geared towards middle school students, and provide material that is related to the museum and curriculum relevant. As for the Traveling Trunks program, a teacher can rent a trunk that is full of artifacts, learning materials, and interactive materials. Thus, pieces of the museum travel to various classrooms to provide children with a remarkable experience.

As for adults, the National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum provides a variety of educational opportunities that are educational and fun. While the specifics of the events are always changing, typical educational events include; book clubs, seminars, wine & art history events, and lunch events.

1700 Ne 63rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73111, Phone: 405-478-2250