| BUFFALO BILL HISTORICAL CENTER |
|---|
 |
|---|
Photo: by Chris Glimmeson Blackfeet warriors overlook their village in this display at the Seasons of Life Gallery in the Plains Indian Museum of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. |
The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, invites visitors to embark on a virtual expedition through the American West. With over 300,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, the center presents a panoramic view of the West with an entire museum dedicated to each of five themes: the natural wonders of the Yellowstone region, the legend of Buffalo Bill Cody, the living culture of the Plains Indian, the fine art of Western masters, and the marvelous story of the evolution of the firearm. No wonder this world-class institution was proclaimed by the late James Michenor as “The Smithsonian of the West.”
The major exhibition for summer 2004 explores the life and works of one of America’s most prolific and successful sculptors of public monuments, Alexander Phimister Proctor. The exhibition runs through October 10 in the Special Exhibitions Gallery and features over 50 sculptures by Proctor, including several plasters, paintings, and etchings. His monumental sculptures of animals and Western themes are found in major cities such as New York, Washington DC, Dallas, Denver, and Portland, Oregon.
Additional special events include the June 19-20 Plains Indian Powwow and an exhibition by Western photographer Barbara Van Cleve.
The center’s newest wing, the Draper Museum of Natural History, portrays the natural world as it appeared to early inhabitants and explorers. Trailing down the circular walkway, visitors are transported from the alpine tundra to the grassy plains, their journey accompanied by the far-off cry of wolves, the crackle of a forest fire, or a gust of wind whisking through the pine trees. Along the way, one develops a keen understanding of how humans interact with their environment, especially in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
The first natural history museum of the 21st century, the Draper employs high-tech and interactive audio and visual display panels, as well as open spaces for hands-on entertainment and education for the whole family.
Understanding the Western environment sets the stage in the Buffalo Bill Museum for a fascinating look at the life and times of Buffalo Bill Cody. Visitors of all ages are inspired by the story of this courageous scout who achieved fame throughout the world as a showman and helped forge a civilization on the barren plains.
The timeless beat of the Indian powwow and the powerful recitation of stories handed down through the ages are among the audio experiences awaiting visitors to the Plains Indian Museum. The use of audio-visual exhibits in combination with one of the nation’s largest collections of Native American art and artifacts have created what Crow elder and historian Joe Medicine Crow called a “living, breathing place.”
The Whitney Gallery of Western Art offers visions of the American West through the eyes of its master painters and sculptors. Landscapes by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran share space with paintings of the classic West by Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, N.C. Wyeth and W.H.D. Koerner. The H. Peter and Jeannette Kriendler Gallery of Contemporary Western Art displays a stunning collection of modern art including works by Harry Jackson and James Bama.
Rounding out the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s perspective, the Cody Firearms Museum reveals insights into the impact of the firearm on history. The fine art of engraved firearms and revolutionary advancements in engineering are among the surprising elements of the story behind the world’s largest and most important collection of American arms, as well as European arms dating to the 16th century.
In addition to its five museums under one roof, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center hosts the McCracken Research Library. This library and archives specializes in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, Western art and artists, Plains Indian history and culture, firearms history and technology, the natural history of the Greater Yellowstone area, the history of Yellowstone Park, Western folk music, and Cody area history.
Visitors may purchase reproductions of fine Western art, jewelry, and Native American art at the Historical Center’s museum store, Museum Selections. The Great Entertainer Eatery offers food and beverages.
Admission is good for two consecutive days and includes entry to all five museums. For more information call 307-587-4771 or visit www.bbhc.org.
— Buffalo Bill Historical Center
The exhibition “Wildlife and Western Heroes: Alexander Phimister Proctor, Sculptor” was organized by the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, and is made possible in part by Mr. and Mrs. Sebert L. Pate, the Mary Potishman Lard Trust, and the Ruth and Vernon Taylor Foundation. The companion publication is generously supported by a gift from the Proctor Foundation, Poulsbo, Washington.
Copyright 2004 by FPI (Focus Productions, Inc)., P.O. Box 1930, Jackson, Wyoming 83001. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publishers.
Mountain Country is a free visitors’ guide published annually in May and distributed at hundreds of locations throughout Jackson Hole, Cody, and other regional communities. To receive a copy in the mail, send $5 to Mountain Country, P.O. Box 1930, Jackson, Wyoming 83001.
Publishers: Bob Woodall & Wade McKoy, dba Focus Productions, Inc. (FPI)
Editors: Mike Calabrese, Wade McKoy, Bob Woodall
Art Direction & Ad Design: Janet Melvin
Advertising Sales:
JACKSON: Ike Faust, 307-690-5908, 307-733-6995 email: mail.focus@wyom.net
DUBOIS & PINEDALE: Janet Melvin 307-733-6995
CODY: Guy & Barb Hull 307-527-7808