Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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Buffalo Bill Center of the West

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  • Visit
    • Current HoursDecember 1–February 29: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Sunday
    • Hours & RatesPlan your visit to the Center of the West.
    • Group SalesWe welcome commercial group and bus tours.
    • Facility RentalsThe Center is the perfect place for your next event.
    • Visiting YellowstoneYour best stop on the way to or from Yellowstone.
    • LodgingSelect from a variety of local accommodations.
    • ItinerariesDiscover some quick day trips in and around Cody.
    • DirectionsFind driving directions and check road conditions.
    • StoriesFind your story among ours.
    • Calendar of EventsSee what events are happening during your visit here.
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      • Draper Natural History Museum Buffalo Bill Center of the West
      • Whitney Western Art Museum Buffalo Bill Center of the West
      • Plains Indian Museum Buffalo Bill Center of the West
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      • Online Collections Buffalo Bill Center of the West
      • Blogs, articles, and features Buffalo Bill Center of the West
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      • ExhibitionsFind out what’s on view in our Center.
      • Beyond Our WallsSee how we bring the West to the World.
      • EventsFind out what programs, talks, and other events are coming up!
      • NewsroomStay up-to-date with all Center happenings.
  • Learn
    • School Programs & ResourcesEssential info and resources for teachers and students.
    • Family ProgramsFamily-friendly programs, activities, and craft ideas.
    • InternshipsCollege students may apply to gain museum experience.
    • Skype in the ClassroomLive, interactive K–12 field trips.
    • WorkshopsExplore hands-on programs for kids, families, and adults.
    • Conservation InternshipsTraining for conservators from all over the world.
    • Pre-K ProgramsSet up a guided tour for your preschool class.
    • Field TripsInvestigate outdoor adventures for adults and children.
    • Highlights MapsDiscover collection highlights in each of our museum.
    • Games and InteractivesLearn about the collection through online interactives.
    • Lectures & FilmsPlan for future talks and view past program videos.
    • Western EssaysDelve into historical information on western topics.
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Clothing and Accessories
    • Gifts
    • Native American Replicas
    • Fine Art
    • Quality Leather
    • Native American Jewelry
    • Navajo Rugs
    • Pottery
    • Prints
    • Media
    • Baskets
  • Research
    • McCracken Research LibraryFind books, photos, archives, media, and more.Buffalo Bill Center of the West
    • Digital CollectionsExplore our extensive photo and manuscript collections.
    • Archival Collection List and Finding GuidesBrowse inventories of archival collections.
    • The Papers of William F. CodyDiscover scholarship on the man and the myth.
    • Fellowship ProgramContribute to new scholarship using Center collections.
    • Buffalo BillUncover in-depth information about William F. Cody.
    • Greater Yellowstone Natural HistoryLearn more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
    • Western ArtDelve into the lives and works of western artists.
    • Plains IndianDiscover more about Plains Indian tribes and collections.
    • FirearmsFind a firearms bibliography, glossary, and more.
    • ConservationFind out how we preserve Center collections.
    • Rights and ReproductionsLicense or reproduce images from our collections.
  • Support
    • Planned GivingLeave your legacy with a bequest or estate gift.
    • Patrons BallAttend our annual gala fundraiser.
    • MembershipBecome a supporter and receive great benefits.
    • VolunteerSupport the Center with your time and talent.
    • Our next raffle car: a 1967 Pontiac GTOBuy your tickets online for this amazing prize!
    • Give TodayMake a donation to programs and operations.
    • Why I SupportSee what motivates donors to give to the Center.
    • We have a winner for the car raffle for 2019Winner: from Lusk, Wyoming, with ticket #0553
    • Raptor ExperienceHelp provide care for our avian friends.
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Home > Newsroom > Buffalo Bill Center of the West invites interaction with its online collection for both virtual and on-site visitors

Buffalo Bill Center of the West invites interaction with its online collection for both virtual and on-site visitors

June 6, 2014 by Nancy McClure

The Center's new online collection has launched a QR code scavenger hunt game for visitors. Graphic by Desiree Pettet.

The Center’s new online collection has launched a QR code scavenger hunt game for visitors. Graphic by Desiree Pettet.

With a redesigned website, interactive games, and additional web-based educational content ready to go or under development, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is rapidly expanding its online presence in 2014. In the most ambitious project to date, the Center has completely revamped its online collections database. Now, nearly every artifact that has been photographed—more than 20,000 objects from the Center’s extraordinary artifact collection—appears online.

The online collection had its start nearly ten years ago, when the first 541 objects, all from the Center’s Plains Indian Museum collection, debuted on a previous iteration of the website (read more). While that version grew to include objects from three more of the Center’s other museums, the new online collection is a complete rebuild, and now encompasses natural history specimens as well.

Seth Johnson, Information Technology Technician for the Center’s IT Department, spearheaded the project. “For us, this new release of our collections online is about more than displaying our treasures for the world to see,” says Johnson. “It’s an invitation for our virtual visitors to interact with our collections in new and interesting ways.”

To that end, in addition to advanced searching and zooming in to the details of images, online explorers are encouraged to “curate” their own virtual exhibits. They can choose objects, write an exhibit introduction and notes on each object, and post comments or questions about any of the objects in the collection. They are also invited to share objects and virtual exhibits through social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.

“Most of the projects our IT staff and web content creators are developing include this kind of interactivity to engage today’s technologically-connected audiences,” says Nancy McClure, who works with electronic communications for the Center’s Public Relations Department. “We’re incorporating interactivity for those who explore our website and social media sites, and we’re now moving into doing the same for those who visit the Center of the West in person.”

The latest interactive endeavor, launched this week, is a mobile scavenger hunt using QR codes. Interested visitors can search for the codes while touring the Center. By using a QR code scanning app on their smart phone or other mobile device, players can “collect” objects and earn level badges as they go. “Our online collections serve as a foundation for this project,” says Johnson, “so some codes take you to online object records, others connect to blog posts or videos.”

Placed strategically throughout the Center’s museums and grounds to offer a challenge for searchers, the codes remain unobtrusive for those seeking a more traditional museum experience. “Like our other interactives, this one is designed to offer a layer of creative play to the rich learning experience our museums already offer,” says Johnson. “We hope those who engage with the interactives enjoy them, and comment with any questions or ideas to let us know what they think.”

Visit the new online collection via the Center of the West’s website at collections.centerofthewest.org. For more information on the online collections and the Center’s QR code scavenger hunt, contact Johnson at [email protected] or 307-578-4091.


Since 1917, the award-winning Buffalo Bill Center of the West has devoted itself to sharing the story of the authentic American West. The Center is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. For additional information, visit centerofthewest.org or the Center’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Newsroom
Tagged With: interactive, interactives, online collections, QR code, scavenger hunt

 

About Nancy McClure

Nancy works in the Center of the West's Public Relations Department in electronic communications. Her work includes writing and updating website content, publicizing events, updating electronic signage, working with images, and producing the e-newsletter Western Wire. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys photography, reading, and playing the flute.

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