National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture. Founded in 1955, the Museum, located in Oklahoma City, collects, preserves, and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts while sponsoring dynamic educational programs to stimulate interest in the enduring legacy of the American West. More than 10 million visitors from around the world have sought out this unique museum to gain better understanding of the West: a region and a history that permeates our national culture. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum features a superb collection of classic and contemporary Western art, including works by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, as well as sculptor James Earle Fraser’s magnificent work, The End of the Trail. The exhibition wing houses a turn-of-the-century town and interactive history galleries that focus on the American cowboy, rodeo and Native American culture.
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- DChelle312Iowa144 contributionsHuge! Amazing! Must seeI wasn’t sure about looking at a ‘cowboy’ museum. I am so glad we did! This is the most beautiful museum! It’s huge! There’s so much to see! Plan to spend several hours here! The gardens outside are pretty and complete with fish in the ponds. There’s a cafe that closes at 2. We didn’t go there, but it was busy. The front desk reception is friendly and offered us a locker to keep our water bottles in. Then they gave us a key to access the locker, - quite helpful! We could easily go back a second day to see everything we missed! If you have the time, enjoy the museum! Much more to see than just cowboy stuff!Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 20 September 2023
- DavigetaSaint Louis, Missouri1,122 contributionsExcellent museum with many exhibits and outdoor activitiesThis is a great museum covering cowboys and the American West. The exhibition space is much larger than you might think. We spent 3 hours there and did not finish seeing the exhibits. They had a lot of artworks from Remington and Russell, but also other artists. The was also an area displaying winners of their annual art competition. These were very good and not "modern art" pieces. They had exhibits on the military, Native Americans, black cowboys and vaqueros, and well as Hollywood's portrayals of the American West. The life of a cowboy was also discussed. Outside, there are burial sites for a number of horses and bulls, a waterfall, multiple statues (including a large one of Buffalo Bill) and displays showing the "homes" of various tribes. The gift shop is very nice, though of course fairly expensive. One negative- another bathroom would be nice. Overall, I highly recommend this museum!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 October 2023
- alibroonWishaw, United Kingdom541 contributionsAn amazing museum in an amazing placeFor a wee boy growing up in '60s and' 70s Scotland, watching countless cowboy and Indian movies and TV shows this was a dream come true, a step into a dream, a golden ticket to Willie Wonka's, a trip to Mecca and it didn't disappoint. This was one of the main reasons we travelled to Texas and Oklahoma this year and every minute of the 4 hours we spent here was magical. The place is huge, much bigger than we imagined. We spent so long looking at the wonderful art not realising that there was so much more. The costumes, the rodeo, the Hollywood memorabilia, the guns, the native American history, I could go on and on and we did. The outside was amazing too. It was worth our entire trip, so much to see, to appreciate and have to thank #hashtagtimthecowboy for really sparking our interest during the pandemic, we said when the world opened up we'd come and we did and it was so worth it.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 October 2023
- Mary Jo Murphy4 contributionsSo Worth The TripI married a Texan 40+ years ago so he was very excited to have look at the museum. The exhibits were excellent, especially the photos of farmers from many states. We were there 2 hours and could have spent more time. Enjoy!Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 October 2023
- CRAIG CUtah438 contributionsEnd of the TrailThis place leans more towards being an art museum. There is plenty to see in each area. They cover movies, tv, Indian art, cowboys and cowgirls. Our favorite part was the outside area. You can wander through different types of early housing and also see the graves of horses.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 15 October 2023
- khristystrangeGore, Oklahoma468 contributionsLarge collectionsIf you enjoy cowboy and Indian art, you will love this place! And it’s more than that. There is an entire area dedicated to western film as well as the rodeo. It took about 4 hours to go through everything inside and out. We did stop and watch each of the films that were being offered but did not read each exhibit. Those ranged from 7-15 minutes each. A few places were under construction, and I can’t imagine having more to look at! My husband loved the weapon exhibits. I loved the miniature western town where you could walk through a street and look or go into buildings to see what it was like during that time. They do have an original Remington sculpture (only one made) that is beautiful.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 February 2024
- GiddyUpNGoTravel306 contributionsWonderful stop!If you like the West, cowboys or western movies. The museum is very detailed. Full of examples: 500+ barbed wire examples, movie star memorabilia, art work, interactive Indian lodging, statutes, and awesome volunteers. There is an entrance fee. Depending on your Western preference, plan on anywhere from 1 to 4 hours at the museum. The museum offers tours; call front desk for exact times. Tour was scheduled for 1 p.m. when we were visiting. There is not an easy flow to the museum; you wander from area to area loosing track of time enjoying the exhibits. The exhibit labeling offers good explanations. There are interactive children areas.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 9 March 2024
- valliam13Sorrento, Florida425 contributionsGive Yourself Time to See it AllThis is a great museum! I had read to give this museum 3 hours but that is without the guided tour. The guided tour was supposed to last 1.5 hours and it actually lasted 2. Baillie was great and passionate about the history and artifacts at the museum. You can tell he loves to share his knowledge. So I’d say give 4-5 hours minimum for this museum if you want to see everything. There is a lot of history about cowboys, rodeos, native Americans and more. There is a lot of artwork as well. I liked the museum and felt it was worth the money to see it.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 29 April 2024
- P J AverySt. Augustine, Florida1,131 contributionsA Gem!Probably one of the best museums in OKC for families. There is something that will interest everyone in your group. From art, to history of the rodeo to several kids activities. Been there several times and it never disappoints. Throughout the year they have large scale events such as the Chuck Wagon festival (late May) and much more. Be sure to follow them on social media for upcoming events.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 11 May 2024
- AliV11 contributionsMust Do for All AgesAbsolutely amazing museum! For those with the time, you could easily spend an entire day here; however, it is equally enjoyable for those with only a few hours to spare. The reasonable ticket price also does not leave you feeling guilty if a few hours is all you have. Great mix of traditional museum exhibits and interactive displays. Life size reproductions and films really add to the experience. Definitely a must do!Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 22 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,366 reviews
Excellent
1,861
Very good
412
Average
69
Poor
16
Terrible
9
Lorna B.
Bechtelsville, PA884 contributions
Dec 2021
My husband and I recently drove from our home in southeastern PA to OKC to spend a week learning about OK’s history, settlement, flora & fauna, etc. A visit to this excellent museum was a highlight of our time in OKC.
The amount of western art here is impressive—beautiful paintings and also items worked from leather, silver, bronze, etc. (many pieces were for sale). Other exhibits featured hunting, cowboys & ranchers, the rodeo, western wildlife, and more. One room contained a huge display of different designs of barbed wire. An Indian Cultures gallery showed beautiful articles of beaded clothing. There was an interesting exhibit on American Western movies and movie stars.
A favorite feature of mine was Prosperity Junction—a recreated typical western frontier town street scene. Various residences and business storefronts were filled with artifacts; some buildings offered a bit of narration. Within that wing, a wide-screen video (7 minutes) about the American West was shown.
The galleries in this comprehensive museum seem to be endless; a quick perusal of the detailed museum map confirms how expansive this facility is. We spent three full hours browsing the numerous galleries, which was not enough time to see everything (and we never got outside to see their grounds). In hindsight, we spent too much time enjoying the paintings at the beginning of the museum, in view of all the galleries still awaiting us.
Our visit included a quick bite to eat in the museum’s café; selections were very limited. I would suggest they keep the café open a bit longer in the afternoon. Also, do not close the main restrooms for cleaning during peak afternoon visitor hours but clean them before/after museum hours! Lastly, allow visitors to stay until the closing time of 5:00 p.m. rather than shooing people out beginning 4:45 p.m. Plentiful free parking here.
The amount of western art here is impressive—beautiful paintings and also items worked from leather, silver, bronze, etc. (many pieces were for sale). Other exhibits featured hunting, cowboys & ranchers, the rodeo, western wildlife, and more. One room contained a huge display of different designs of barbed wire. An Indian Cultures gallery showed beautiful articles of beaded clothing. There was an interesting exhibit on American Western movies and movie stars.
A favorite feature of mine was Prosperity Junction—a recreated typical western frontier town street scene. Various residences and business storefronts were filled with artifacts; some buildings offered a bit of narration. Within that wing, a wide-screen video (7 minutes) about the American West was shown.
The galleries in this comprehensive museum seem to be endless; a quick perusal of the detailed museum map confirms how expansive this facility is. We spent three full hours browsing the numerous galleries, which was not enough time to see everything (and we never got outside to see their grounds). In hindsight, we spent too much time enjoying the paintings at the beginning of the museum, in view of all the galleries still awaiting us.
Our visit included a quick bite to eat in the museum’s café; selections were very limited. I would suggest they keep the café open a bit longer in the afternoon. Also, do not close the main restrooms for cleaning during peak afternoon visitor hours but clean them before/after museum hours! Lastly, allow visitors to stay until the closing time of 5:00 p.m. rather than shooing people out beginning 4:45 p.m. Plentiful free parking here.
Written 26 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lori S
11 contributions
May 2021
Visited for the first time and was greeted by a friendly volunteer upon entry. He started by giving an overall description of the museum which was appreciated but then he went into a DETAILED 20 minute long talk about all we would see at the museum. At one point I even said, “Great! This all sounds wonderful. Which way to the old town?” And he replied “I am getting to that. Be patient.” I know he was trying to be kind but it was a little bit excessive. The interactive exhibits were awesome and the outdoor exhibits were gorgeous! Loved visiting the old west town and the tribal homesteads. Worth the visit but I would hope the volunteers would share some insight (briefly) and then allow us to visit on our own.
Written 30 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bcunningham71
Kansas City, KS28 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This museum was recommended and we can tell you it was well worth the time. So many western cowboys from silent films, movies and TV were on display. For those that love Cowboys, this will peak your interest and you'll wonder where the time went. Beautiful oil paintings that are superb. We highly recommend a visit!
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
aliciaburge
Seymour, IL489 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
This is a good stop when you are in OK City to learn a little about the Western culture. Some exhibits change over time which makes it neat to visit at different points. The outdoor exhibits and Western town exhibits were neat to see. I would suggest spending 2-3 hours there.
Written 16 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jimichongaJC
New Bern, NC671 contributions
Apr 2021
Almost overwhelmingly large and comprehensive collection of absolutely everything cowboy and Western in nature. There are only so many saddles, lassoes, brands, boots, armaments one can look at before it becomes a blur. But the art exhibits were truly extraordinary. The Remington castings, the Indian beadworks, the spectacular landscape imagery were first rate - and curated beautifully. The museum gallery layout can be confusing; I'm sure I missed entire rooms of exhibited works in my wandering. The detailed narratives describing the notable women of Western Heritage was quite engaging. Recommend setting aside 3 or more hours to do this place justice - but by all means, plan to visit!
Written 6 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane M
Savannah, GA45 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
We are visiting our son in Tulsa and my husband just HAD to make the 1.5 hour or so drive into OKC to see this museum. He has been following their Twitter feed throughout the pandemic and it became almost a pilgrimage!
This museum was beautiful. The artwork was spectacular. Though I really just tagged along, I found that I truly enjoyed myself and learned a lot about western history and culture. The layout was such that we had no problem keeping to social distancing. The docents who seemed to always be nearby were very pleasant and helpful.
My husband is already planning our next trip to OKC to return to this museum!
This museum was beautiful. The artwork was spectacular. Though I really just tagged along, I found that I truly enjoyed myself and learned a lot about western history and culture. The layout was such that we had no problem keeping to social distancing. The docents who seemed to always be nearby were very pleasant and helpful.
My husband is already planning our next trip to OKC to return to this museum!
Written 7 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
irishbogs
Cleveland, OH155 contributions
Jul 2021
Very nice museum that is mostly nice art.
It is worth a 90 minute stop. Some of the paintings were beautiful and many were for sale. The highest price tag I noticed was $60,000.00
There were some roaming employees who were very knowledgeable and helpful.
It is worth a 90 minute stop. Some of the paintings were beautiful and many were for sale. The highest price tag I noticed was $60,000.00
There were some roaming employees who were very knowledgeable and helpful.
Written 31 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heidi A
California19 contributions
Jun 2020
We loved exploring this museum. We were there for over 3.5 hours, and could have easily spent longer. The kids enjoyed learning/playing at the new outdoor area which showcases dwellings across the plains. The artwork we saw was stunning, including the Dorothea Lange and Andy Warhol visiting exhibits. Also seeing the rodeo room and cowboys from the movies was also fun! There were a couple gallery rooms closed, but even so, there was so much to see, I wish we could have stayed longer!
Written 25 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rachellynn99
Conway, AR247 contributions
Jul 2022
We attended on a summer Tuesday and it wasn't too crowded, especially when it first opened. There were some items to do with kids, a pretty elaborate outdoor area with different housing structures representing various Native American tribes, and an indoor city that had a church, school, general store etc.
There was a small outdoor walk with sculptures and statues, and a pretty neat exhibit about rodeos. There were many videos to watch and lots of things to read. The artwork was fantastic and very well presented.
There is a small grill, that we didn't eat at, but honestly one that truly enjoyed this era, and art could stay most of a day if they wanted to read everything, watch the short videos and see everything.
There was a small outdoor walk with sculptures and statues, and a pretty neat exhibit about rodeos. There were many videos to watch and lots of things to read. The artwork was fantastic and very well presented.
There is a small grill, that we didn't eat at, but honestly one that truly enjoyed this era, and art could stay most of a day if they wanted to read everything, watch the short videos and see everything.
Written 20 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phyliss B
Canton, MI1,362 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Wow the perfect Museum for the west!
It has everything, cavalry, Indians, cowboys, rodeo heroes and the great tv/ movie stars who portrayed the western heroes!
The museum is literally separated into different areas, each with a theme. The outside area has a great display of Indian homes over the countries past.
This museum truly is a beautiful and peaceful place to stroll through history.
It has a small cafe, and the sandwiches and salads are worth the trip! We truly enjoyed our hoagie and pasta salad.
The museum is a definite must see for all the children and adults who love the stolid the old west!
A store located inside has all the necessary items to turn you into a western hero!
It has everything, cavalry, Indians, cowboys, rodeo heroes and the great tv/ movie stars who portrayed the western heroes!
The museum is literally separated into different areas, each with a theme. The outside area has a great display of Indian homes over the countries past.
This museum truly is a beautiful and peaceful place to stroll through history.
It has a small cafe, and the sandwiches and salads are worth the trip! We truly enjoyed our hoagie and pasta salad.
The museum is a definite must see for all the children and adults who love the stolid the old west!
A store located inside has all the necessary items to turn you into a western hero!
Written 25 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yes free parking, sorry for the late response - just saw the question
Written 14 July 2023
i agree with Lori. The exhibits have wide open areas and as you move from area to area its also very easy. might want to contact them in case they have scooters there for your use and could advise for days when gallery is less full.
Written 10 August 2021
How much time should be allowed to see everything at a comfortable pace
Written 1 July 2019
If you stay on track you can get to everything in around 4 hours. Unless they have an event going on and then it could take a little longer.
Written 1 July 2019
Is this a fun place for a 5-yo and 2.5-yo? Is it an all day thing?
Written 29 April 2019
The Kids Corral is closed due to remodeling and they will be opening 15 Million dollar educational expansion for kids.
Liichokoshkomo
Written 12 May 2019
I will be flying into Oklahoma City for a week of training in Norman. I will not have a vehicle. How much is a taxi or Uber from the airport to the museum? Is there a bus line?
Written 10 November 2018
No bus. An Uber from Will Rogers to the museum would probably be around $20ish.
Written 11 November 2018
Yes! Photography is allowed at the Museum. However, there are certain galleries where the flash is restricted.
Written 3 October 2018
I think $12 for adult ,$10 for seniors,$ 6 for kids.
Also...check Groupon
When we were there last...the museum staged a huge western artist art show.
So we got to see a lot!!!
Written 2 February 2018
Perfect in May...I would doubt if it gets to 90 we didn't have temperatures like that until late June/early July. Spring is a fabulous time...moderate but could be raining
Written 4 February 2018
How long would you spend here?
Written 17 September 2017
I think you could spend 2-4 hours depending on how much you choose to engage in the interactive areas.
Written 18 September 2017
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