Buffalo Bill Center

(Cody WY)
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West included five museums; Plains Indian Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, and of course the Buffalo Bill Museum. I quickly browsed through all of them, as a thorough look would have taken days.

Statue of Buffalo Bill Cody

Buffalo Bill Center of the West

Buffalo Bill
Buffalo Bill was far more than an entertainer. He was also a hunter and trapper, trail guide, soldier during the Indian Wars, rancher, businessman and founder of Cody. The museum covered all parts of his life.

Tent, camping supplies

Camp with gear actually used by Buffalo Bill

William Cody with rifle

Portrait of Buffalo Bill

Draper Natural History
Wildlife and landscape were featured at Draper, with explanations of habitat for common animals of the Rocky Mountain west. There were realistic animal models, videos, paintings, props, and displays.

Draper display of elk

Elk Display

Draper display of puma and kitten

Cougar Display

Cody Firearms
Firearms of every kind from the 1500s to the mid-20th century were displayed in the Cody Firearms. Heavy emphasis on pistols and rifles used during the ‘opening of the western frontier’. Can’t find gun pix; so, instead photos of wagons from that era.

Wagon used by shepherds

Home on the Range RV

Stagecoach display

Deadwood to Cheyenne Stagecoach

Whitney Western Art
Famous historical artists like Moran, Bierstadt, Remington, and some contemporary like one of my favorite artists Clyde Aspevig. Paintings and sculptures were featured in the Whitney, as well as on the grounds.

Painting at Whitney

Painting of Lower Falls in Yellowstone

Sculpture of wolf

Wolf Sculpture on museum grounds

Plains Indian
Plains Indian told the story of their culture, customs and how they lived in the area. Artifacts, displays of camps and everyday life from early times to the present. There were some nice sculptures in the garden outside.

Horse, Indian and carry cart

Plains Indian Transport

Statue of native

Sculpture in Plains Indian Garden

It was a whirlwind visit; but, I did get to see the highlights of each museum. Afterward, I went out for lunch, and then began heading to my next waypoint and looking for a camp.

Site: 5 Museums about the American West
Scene: Displays, artifacts, sculptures, paintings

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