Located in Oklahoma City, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is the premier institution for preserving the art, history, and culture of the American West. Spanning more than 200,000 square feet (18,580 square meters), NCWHM features multiple galleries, an interactive children’s museum, and a replica town.
Learn the story of the American West, from a variety of perspectives, through both art and artifacts. Visit the NCWHM to view its Western art gallery, Native American art gallery, six historical galleries, special exhibits, replica turn-of-the-century town, and interactive children’s museum. NCWHM also hosts Western-themed events and regularly sponsors educational programs on topics related to Western culture, history, and art.
NCWHM is ideal for families with kids and history buffs, particularly those with an interest in American history.
There’s a free coat check; large bags are not permitted.
Photography is only allowed in designated areas.
There is a gift shop and cafe on-site.
NCWHM is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, and both can be borrowed for free.
NCWHM is located on Persimmon Hill, in northeast Oklahoma City, just off Interstate 44. Interstate 35 and Route 66 also pass nearby. There’s plenty of free on-site parking.
The museum is open daily, with holiday closures for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day. It’s a massive space, so it rarely gets too busy. There’s also plenty to see, and you can easily spend several hours to an entire day here.
Oklahoma City has its share of typical museums, like art museums and science museums. But it’s also home to a number of unusual ones, such as the American Pigeon Museum and Library, Toy and Action Figure Museum, Skeletons: Museum of Osteology, No Man’s Land Museum, and Shattuck Windmill Museum and Park.