The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City

If you find yourself traveling through Oklahoma City this summer and want to stop and enjoy some culture, The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in north Oklahoma City is part of what makes our state so great! Its beautifully landscaped grounds and wonderful displays certainly make this a relaxing way to spend the day!

Stepping into the cool marble interior is like walking into a familiar room. I have been going there since I was a little girl. No two visits are alike though; they are a progressive museum that has acquired some of our most precious pieces of western American culture. Beautiful artistic renditions of Oklahoma's television stars are spread throughout the museum, along with memorabilia and Native Americana.

What greets you as you walk in is a statue named "The End of the Trail" by James Earle Fraser. The 18-foot plaster sculpture, originally made for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, received a Gold Medal for sculpture at the exposition. The statue itself has quite a history, having been in a California park deteriorating at one time...it has found a permanent home at the museum.

Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell were the two best western artists of their time. The museum has an extensive collection of theirs, and thousands of other fine art pieces. Some paintings take up an entire wall, and nearby benches welcome you to sit and enjoy the atmosphere.

While you are there, visit the American Cowboy Gallery . See the outfits and the riders who helped tame the west. They've done an outstanding job of making the inside sections feel like you are walking in a ghost town. There is plenty more to see though, with an outstanding firearms collection, boots, hats, chaps, dresses, and uniforms. Clothing worn by the stars like John Wayne of the old black and white westerns to the Native Oklahomans who starred in hits like Gunsmoke are all housed here.

You can't miss the American Rodeo Gallery with its 6,500 square feet of Rodeo memorabilia; the kids love this section with its audio-visual and interactive programming! Speaking of kids, there is a special area just for them, with old west costumes to dress up in. The little ones really have a good time here, and outside watching the gold fish.

John Wayne fans will be drawn to the many movie props, while naturalists are drawn to the Native American wares.

Persimmon Press is also on site, and their books on the cowboy culture, and Native Americans are sold in the gift shop. Fine art prints adorn the walls, while silver and turquoise jewelry fill the show cases. And, did you say you want postcards? There's an amazing selection to choose from! And, if you get hungry, the museum has you covered there, too... you'll want to sample the foods that are unique to us Okies! (You can go into the museum store without having to pay admission for those of you who just want to shop there.)

The admission for adults is $8.50, $4 for children, and discount rates for seniors. Parking is free.

We are truly lucky to have this grand of a museum in our City. For further information, please check out the museum's website... http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/

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