The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City is America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture. Founded in 1955, the Museum collects, preserves and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs to promote interest in the enduring legacy of the American West.
Check out our current exhibitions below:
Layered Stories – America’s Canyonlands – June 15-Oct 20
The centennial of Grand Canyon National Park is an opportunity to exhibit more of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s permanent collection that focuses on landforms unique in the American West and to inculcate in the visitor the importance of preserving these lands for public appreciation and enjoyment. The grandeur of the American West, in particular those landforms created through wind and water erosion, is celebrated in these depictions of the canyonlands.
Passport – July 19-Mar 15, 2020
Art is not one-dimensional and neither are those who create it. Though often defined by their most well-known work or style—Impressionist, Cubist, Modern, Realist, Western—they experiment and evolve throughout their careers, often working across mediums and subjects. Whether a mural or magazine illustration, playbill or portrait, each project and assignment informs the next. Carl Link, Laura Gardin Fraser, William Reese, Tom Lovell, and other artists in our collection are no exception. Their sketches and studies include cowboys, Native Americans, horses, and landscapes, but there are also surprises among the iconic Western imagery: a Thai dancer, a pharaoh, Art Deco Christmas cards, a presidential pet, medieval knights, and even James Bond. Exhibited for the first time, these unexpected pieces take us around the world, through the decades, and into diverse artistic careers. You don’t need a DeLorean to visit the past or frequent flyer miles to experience different countries and cultures. Art is the ultimate passport.
Colors of Clay – Aug 30-May 10, 2020
Opening on August 30, 2019, Colors of Clay explores the cultural and regional diversity of indigenous ceramic vessel traditions in North America. Vibrantly colored and sculpted with absolute precision, clay pots, bowls, pitchers, and jars were a dominate fixture of Native American daily life and are today viewed as one of the most notable Native American art forms. From the Eastern Woodlands to the arid Southwest, these vessels continue to evolve, yet maintain a traditional aesthetic unique to this part of the world.
Caballeros y Vaqueros – Sept 14 – Jan 5, 2020
The regionally distinctive horse furniture that is emblematic of the North American West and is preserved through the craftsmanship of Traditional Cowboy Arts Association (TCAA) artists has its roots in a unique mixture of cultures and traditions that blended in Colonial Mexico. The decorative traditions of cow – and horse-gear provide some of the most enduring motifs and icons of Western culture.
Caballeros y Vaqueros (CyV) traces the decorative traditions of new world husbandry as they developed in Colonial Mexico from a fusion of Native American, European, African, and Islamic traditions. By focusing on working objects as sculptural art, CyV helps guests to see the global traditions that manifested into a unique Western visual tradition. Funding for this exhibition and related programs is provided in part by Susan J. Roeder and from Oklahoma Humanities (OH) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views, findings, conclusion, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily reflect those of OH or NEH.
Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition & Sale – Oct 4 – Jan 5, 2020
In one of the most significant events to impact the fine art world, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage hosts the Opening Weekend event and sale for the Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition & Sale. The Traditional Cowboy arts Association (TCAA) showcase the best of saddlemaking, bit and spur making silversmithing, and rawhide braiding. The TCAA exhibition is on view and sale through January 6, 220. Reservations for most Opening Weekend events are required.
Small Works, Great Wonders – Nov 8-Dec 1
Small Works, Great Wonders® features a fusion of traditional and contemporary paintings and sculptures at affordable prices. Enjoy cocktails with more than 100 of the nation’s finest artists, including many from the prestigious Prix de West. Door prizes, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live music paired with beautiful works of art make for a truly special evening. Guests may also shop the Holiday Open House at The Museum Store. During this unique sales event, purchasers may leave with art in hand at the end of the night. To make reservations or for proxy bidding information, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/smallworks.
Two Grits – A Peek Behind the Eyepatch – Nov 15-May 10, 2020
With the important John Wayne Collection and the Museum’s active and progressive role in recognizing Western heritage with its awards for different media, this is a unique opportunity for the institution. Two Grits: A Peek Behind the Eyepatch, examines similarities and differences in the two versions of the film, True Grit, in the context of the novel by the same title, using artifacts, costume components, and props from both films, as well as photographs from both shoots.
Find Your Western – Dec 14-May 10, 2020
