From immersive experiences to Italian cowboys, what’s new one OKC museum
From Black cowboys to Native American warriors, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is celebrating the holiday season with diversity.
“You could make the case that this is one of the most diverse lineups of exhibitions that we’ve ever had in any one time (as far as) telling diverse stories,” said Seth Spillman, the museum’s chief marketing officer.
The Oklahoma City landmark has seven temporary exhibitions on view, ranging from “Women in Wyoming” to “Italy’s Legendary Cowboys of the Maremma.” Plus, the museum unveiled in November its new permanent interactive exhibit “The Code of the West,” part of its ongoing $40 million capital campaign.
“It’s the time of the year where if you have family coming, and you’re looking for things to do with them, we’re a great option. And so we certainly see a lot of that traffic. ... The kind of Oklahoma experience a lot of people are looking for is that Western experience, and that’s something that we can deliver on,” Spillman said.
Here’s a look at the exhibits now on view at the National Cowboy Museum and what’s coming next for the landmark in 2024:
‘Black Cowboys: An American Story’
When: Through Jan. 2.
It’s a little-known fact that one in four cowboys who hit the trail was Black, and this exhibit helps create a clearer picture of the diversity of the American West.
Featuring photographs, artifacts and documents, it delves into the lives and labors of the many Black men, women and children – both enslaved and free – who worked on the ranches of Texas and participated in cattle drives from before the Civil War through the turn of
the 20th century.
‘King Ranch: A Legacy in Art; Paintings by Noe Perez’
When: Through Jan. 2.
A contemporary Texas artist based in Corpus Christi, Noe Perez was granted access to the Lone Star State's historic King Ranch to create the paintings in this exhibition.
Using his skill at creating landscapes, wildlife and livestock paintings and genre scenes, Perez colorfully conveys the customs of the legendary King Ranch.
One of the largest ranches in the country, King Ranch was established in 1853. During a drought in south Texas and northern Mexico, Richard King purchased cattle from the families of the ranching community of Cruillas, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and invited them to move to his ranch and become his workforce. These families became “Los Kineños,” or “King's people.”
Since, the ranch has loomed large in both American history and popular imagination.
‘Women in Wyoming: Portraits and Interviews of Women Who Shape the West’
When: Through Jan. 2.
“Women in Wyoming” uses photography and audio interviews to share the stories of 22 women making their mark on the Cowboy State, which was the first to recognize women's right to vote.
24th annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Exhibition & Sale
When: Through Jan. 2.
Founded in 1998 at the National Cowboy Museum, the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association is a collective of saddle makers, bit and spur makers, rawhide braiders and silversmiths working to preserve traditional Western crafts and elevate them into fine art forms.
The OKC museum has partnered with the association to host its annual exhibit and sale since 1999, and this year's show features 50 pieces of original work by 13 artists, ranging from intricately crafted saddles and belt buckles to leather-tooled lamps and notebooks. There's even a tooled leather Fender Stratocaster guitar created by Texas saddle builder Troy West.
‘Nations at War! Field Sketches of a Pawnee Warrior’
When: Through Jan. 21.