1958 - Whitney Gallery - Cody, WY - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

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1958 - Whitney Gallery - Cody, WY

in Dated Buildings and Cornerstones

Posted by:  T0SHEA

12T E 653120 N 4931997

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West could well be the definitive museum focused on the American West, and certainly Buffalo Bill.

The original Buffalo Bill Museum was housed in the Paul Stock Center across the street. It is now the Cody Visitor Centre. The collection, however, was much larger than the original building so, over the years, a couple of architecturally sympathetic buildings were built on the site to house more of the collection. These, however, were not enough to house the ever growing collection.

In 1958, the Whitney Gallery, ultimately over 100,000 square feet in size, was built across Sheridan to the west. Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, son of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, sculptress of the iconic sculpture, Buffalo Bill the Scout (behind the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, now known as the Buffalo Bill Center of the West), donated a half million dollars toward construction of the Whitney Gallery. Ten years later the Buffalo Bill Historical Center was added to the gallery and was dedicated on July 4, 1969. Seven hundred feet long and more than one hundred twenty feet at its widest point, this impressive new structure was better able to display the equally impressive collection.

A large complex of five museums and a research library, the center can trace its roots to 1917, with the establishment of the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association after the death of William F. Cody. Since that time it has grown to encompass seven acres with exhibits and displays both inside and out, comprising a total of over 50,000 artefacts. Photos of nearly half of the collection can be seen online. Inside are no less than five individual museums:

Buffalo Bill Museum
Tracing its roots to 1917, the Buffalo Bill Museum is the flagship museum of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. First opening its doors to the public in 1927 in a log cabin in downtown Cody - modeled after Bill Cody’s house at his “TE Ranch”—southwest of town, the museum remained in that location until 1969 when it was relocated to a newly-built wing of the then Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Here, as in its original incarnation, the Buffalo Bill Museum’s focus is on the life and times of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846 – 1917), the noted guide, scout, frontiersman, showman, actor, entrepreneur, town founder, and American icon.

Positioning the story of Cody’s life within the context of the history and myth of the American West, the museum documents how, in an age without television or motion pictures, and under the persona of “Buffalo Bill,” Cody became the world’s foremost communicator about the history, promise, and enduring spirit of the American West.

In addition to documenting the life and interests of William F. Cody, and the history and operations of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, the museum’s collection interprets the history of the American cowboy, dude ranching, western conservation, frontier entrepreneurship, and the source of our concepts about the West.

Plains Indians Museum
The Plains Indian Museum tells the significant story of the lives of Plains Indian peoples, their cultures, traditions, values, and histories, as well as the contexts of their lives today.

In the words of Plains Indian Museum Advisory Board member and Crow tribal historian Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, the Museum is “a living, breathing place where more than just Indian objects are on display.” Since 1979 the museum has been a leader in promoting public recognition of the importance of Plains Indian art due to its nationally significant collection. Curator Emerita Emma I. Hansen said, “Visitors to the Plains Indian Museum learn, not only about the beautiful objects made by Indian people, but the stories of the people behind the objects and the special contexts in which these objects were made and used in daily and ceremonial life.”

Whitney Western Art Museum
See artistic masterworks and exciting modern views of the land, people, and wildlife of the West in the Whitney Western Art Museum. Visitors are encouraged to make connections across culture and time. The thematic display presents an innovative way of interpreting American art of the West that encourages discovery and creativity, and presents the artwork in a tranquil, contemplative space.

Visitors to the museum experience the Spirit of the American West through art. Along with viewing the exquisite paintings and sculpture, you will find activities throughout the Whitney that appeal to all ages and interests.

The Whitney Museum’s extraordinary collection of paintings, prints, sculpture, and more give our visitors a broad look at the West through the works of the artists. Our online collection can do the same for online visitors.

Draper Natural History Museum
Begin your Yellowstone adventure at the Draper Natural History Museum in Cody, Wyoming. Since opening in June 2002, the Draper has garnered international acclaim for its immersive, informative, and inspiring exhibit experiences. This year we celebrate our 15th year of educating the public about the natural world of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

Cody Firearms Museum
The Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West houses the most comprehensive collection of American firearms in the world. In 1975, the Winchester Arms Collection, the heart of this museum, adventured west as a loan from the Olin Corporation. It was deeded as a gift in 1988. To date, the Cody Firearms Museum has over 7,000 firearms with more than 30,000 firearms-related artifacts.
Quotes are from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West

As well as the permanent displays, the center also hosts Special Exhibits each year. Outdoors are more sculptures, including the very large Buffalo Bill the Scout sculpture, the Joseph Henry Sharp Cabin, cabin and sturio of artist Joseph Henry Sharp, and Buffalo Bill’s Boyhood Home.