Mary Jester Allen The history of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West begins with Mary Jester Allen after the passing of her famous uncle in 1917. She dreamed of […]
Centennial
Celebrate the Buffalo Bill Center of the West's Centennial
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West celebrated its Centennial in 2017! Throughout 2017, we shared posts, images, and tidbits about the Center's history. Take a look for some blasts from the past...
Our Founders
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was the consummate storyteller and enthusiastic student of history. More than a century ago, as his Wild West played in arenas around the world, Buffalo Bill contemplated his legacy. He dreamed of a new arena that would "teach people by seeing history." For more than 100 years, the Center of the West has nurtured Cody's dream, teaching and sharing the West he loved. With a most sincere thanks to our founders, we enter our second century and continue to share how Cody's dream shapes and defines how the Center celebrates the Spirit of the American West. For more information, enjoy a lecture by the Center's own Peter Hassrick, Director Emeritus and Senior Scholar.
Center History
Since Buffalo Bill's death in 1917 and the founding of our parent organization, the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association, the Center has had several significant milestones and grown to our current complex of five museums and a research library, all inviting you to discover the real and mythic West through art, culture, history, and natural science. Click here for a quick summary of our history.
VIDEO: To learn more about how the Center got its start, check out this video presentation by Jeremy Johnston, our Curator of Western American History.
VIDEO: And find out more about Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, another indispensable person in the history of the Center.
Explore more about our Centennial below.
Join us for Fourth of July Festivities at the Center!
Every year, the small town of Cody, Wyoming is notorious for celebrating the Fourth of July in a big way. Complete with the rodeos, parades, craft fairs, numerous musical performances, […]
Behind the Scenes of Cody to the World!
As a part of the year-long Centennial celebration, the Center is excited to share the spirt of the American West through the new exhibition, Cody to the World! Celebrating 100 […]
Discover the Center of the West’s Centennial Products
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West—a complex of five museums and a research library dedicated to sharing the rugged ways of the American West—celebrates its year-long Centennial. From the […]
Skype in the Classroom: The Old West for a New Generation
Imagine an afternoon of exploring the Center of the West’s five galleries: you begin by delving deeper into the rich culture of the Plains Indians and the vital natural resources […]
Celebrate with us, and Explore our New Centennial Magazine!
Thanks to our talented friends at the Cody Enterprise, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is delighted to share our brand-new Centennial-themed publication that illustrates our devotion to telling […]
