May 19 - Buffalo Bill Center of the West (arts rules gun museum)

Around Cody, WY everything is named for Buffalo Bill  schools, public buildings (everything but churches, I think).  Today we see the Buffalo Bill Center.  We have been here before, but were rushed by our agenda. Today, we decided to let our interest pace the day. This oldest and most comprehensive museum of the west is a complex of five museums and a research library featuring art and artifacts of the American west.  The collections are huge and diverse.   We took lots of pics last time. Our photos this time represent snippets of the whole.

Beth likes the American western art museum best. This gallery of paintings and sculpture is organized thematically, with spaces dedicated to heroes and legends, the heroic cowboy, wildlife, horses in the west, inspirational landscapes, first people of the West, and the western experience.

typical painting - Madonna of the Prairie by W.H.D. Koerner

Bronze statues are a big part of western art.  Seems that Most sizable towns and businesses have them.

Art reproductions available in Museum store

I liked the firearms. Besides the general evolution of firearms, every American conflict, and significant manufacturer is represented, as are TV shows, movies, air rifles, and special interests.  A gun nut could spend a week here, and then return.  I liked the odd stuff, such as.

.22 pistol is part of multi-tool with over 100 functions

perhaps  selection reflects anticipated type of conflict

Plains Indians Museum features the stories and objects of Plains Indian people, their cultures, traditions, values and histories, as well as the contexts of their lives today.

Elk teeth adorning this dress reflect a brave's hunting prowess

There were accounts of a number of events.  This one is Little Big Horn.  Many dead Yankees.

Native American ladies recognized for skills

Brave's headdress

Natural History Museum features of `20,000 sq ft featured geology, wildlife, and human presence in the Greater Yellowstone region.  There are many good exhibits, but our favorite nature experience here was the Raptor experience with handlers and live raptors.

Peregrine falcon snacking

Great Horned owl watching you

At the end of the day we conclude that though the gun collection is world class, the arts (counting native American) "rule".
That evening we returned to the Ponderosa campground.