Current Exhibitions
Current Exhibitions
In addition to our five museums, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West creates and hosts temporary special exhibitions in various galleries throughout the Center. Here’s what’s on view today:
Buffalo Nation
Center-wide
Buffalo Nation is a two-year program at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and the buffalo through immersive exhibitions, interactive experiences, and special events. Buffalo Nation tells the powerful story of the American bison—once numbering 30 million or more, nearly lost to extinction, and now a symbol of renewal.
Key Dates
January 30, 2026: The Buffalo Nation experience begins with six Spotlight Exhibitions presented across the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s museums and library.
August 22, 2026: The primary exhibition opens to the public in the Duncan Special Exhibition Gallery, surrounding visitors with immersive environments and interactive experiences.
Arms of the Revolution
Cody Firearms Museum
Now Open
Arms of the Revolution opens April 18, 2026 in the Cody Firearms Museum as a signature exhibition marking America’s 250th anniversary. In recognition of our nation’s founding, the exhibition brings visitors face to face with the actual firearms and projectiles carried on Revolutionary battlefields. Drawing from the museum’s own holdings and rare loans from Fort Ticonderoga, Minuteman National Historic Site, and leading private collections, the exhibition explores the weapons of both Patriot and Loyalist forces. Dramatic displays, including opposed muskets, an exploded-view firearm, and cutting-edge forensic analysis, reveal how arms shaped America’s fight for independence.
Riders of the Buffalo Nations
Plains Indian Museum
Now Open
Step into the world of contemporary Native American rodeo with Riders of the Buffalo Nations, a breathtaking photography exhibition by Amsterdam-based artist Doug Hancock. Against the sweeping landscapes of the Black Hills and Montana’s rolling hills, Hancock captures the skill, courage, and spirit of today’s Native cowboys and cowgirls.
Shot in the summer of 2022 on Kodak film, this collection of still images and film footage honors the legacy of the Buffalo Riders—Indigenous horsemen whose exceptional horsemanship traces back to the historic buffalo hunts. Today, these skills live on in rodeo arenas, Indian Relay Races, powwows, and cultural festivals, maintaining a deep connection to the American Bison and tribal traditions.
Winchester: 160 Years in the Making
Cody Firearms Museum
Now on Display
In celebration of Winchester’s 160th anniversary in 2026, the Cody Firearms Museum and the Foundation Ars Mechanica have joined together to reunite rare pieces from the original Winchester collection, bringing together artifacts separated for more than half a century. Discover the story behind the name that became synonymous with innovation, adventure, and the American West. From the groundbreaking Volcanic pistols and rifles of the 1850s and the revolutionary Henry rifle of 1860 to the legendary Model 1873—the “Gun That Won the West”—this exhibition traces Winchester’s remarkable journey across generations and continents. Explore the company’s rise to worldwide prominence, its survival through financial challenges, and its evolution from New Haven factories to modern workshops in Belgium, Japan, and Portugal.
Past Exhibitions
