Exhibits
Cody Firearms Museum Exhibits
For centuries, firearms have shaped human history, influencing stories of conflict, innovation, craftsmanship, and culture. They occupy central roles in narratives of war and defense, personal ownership, manufacturing, sport, science, technology, and art. The Cody Firearms Museum honors this breadth of history, showcasing how firearms connect to nearly every aspect of human endeavor. Following a complete redesign and reinstallation, the Cody Firearms Museum reopened in July 2019, unveiling a modern, dynamic experience. Thousands of firearms—from early examples dating to the 1400s through contemporary models—fill its galleries. Engaging exhibits and interpretive storytelling illuminate the evolution of firearms and reveal their impact on society, technology, and creativity across the centuries.
CFM Breezeway Entrance
At the entrance of the museum, visitors encounter the Firearms Safety and Basics gallery alongside exhibits on modern shooting sports. This interactive space encourages hands-on learning, allowing guests to operate mechanical actions and explore how different types of firearms function. Visitors also gain familiarity with key terminology—rifle, cartridge, carbine, caliber, pistol, revolver, gauge, and more—terms that appear throughout exhibit labels and interpretive text across the museum. Toward the rear of this section, a simulated firearms experience introduces modern shooting sports and emphasizes firearms safety, responsible handling, and practical range tips. This introductory area equips newcomers with a clear foundation for understanding firearms before exploring the broader museum. Experienced enthusiasts may engage with the discovery area or move directly into the main galleries to dive deeper into the collection’s historical and technological stories.
The Story of the West
At the heart of the museum’s timeline, one thematic section explores both the mythology and reality of firearms in “Winning the West.” This display contrasts popular culture’s romanticized version of the frontier with the authentic history behind it, encouraging visitors to question long-held perceptions. The small exhibit opens to the right, guiding guests down a corridor that delves deeper into the actual roles firearms played in shaping the American West.
The centerpiece of this area, a recreated western town, immerses visitors in the environments where these stories unfolded. At its center, a media interactive highlights well-known firearms of the American West, tracing each from design to distribution. The museum’s historic nineteenth-century arms factory—retained from the earlier installation—illustrates the rise of iconic brands such as Winchester and Colt.
A nearby hunting cabin exhibit and accompanying film trace the evolution of hunting, from early fur trapping to the modern conservation movement. In a detailed recreation of the Browning Brothers’ original store, visitors uncover the lives and innovations of gun designers who lived and worked in the West. The final structure, a small general store, reveals the types of firearms ordinary people could afford and rely on during that transformative era.
Military History
The military history wing divides into two main components. Along the perimeter, a traditional display presents a dense and visually striking array of firearms that trace the evolution of military weaponry—from early American conflicts to modern global engagements involving U.S. forces. A simulator invites visitors to experience history firsthand by operating a Browning M2 machine gun, offering a powerful connection between technology and battlefield experience.
At the center of the gallery, the second component shifts focus from weapons to the people who carried them. Inside a central tent, visitors encounter oral histories that share soldiers’ personal perspectives through both audio and written accounts, while filmed battle footage projects across the tent’s exterior to create an immersive atmosphere.
At the rear of the gallery, the Room of Reflection offers a quiet, ongoing space dedicated to veterans’ voices. Here, current service members and veterans may record their own stories, preserving their experiences within the Center’s growing oral history archive for future generations.
Science of Firearms
This miniature science center comprehensively examines the physics of precision. Like the Introductory area, this hands-on gallery invites visitors to learn and understand firearms mechanics. It also looks at popular misperceptions of firearms and their accessories. For example, are silencers silent?
The section also features long-range rifle and shotgun simulators. Unlike the shooting galleries at the entrance of the current museum that focus on basic handling, the new section takes that knowledge one step further: It teaches visitors about the mechanics of both firearms and ammunition.
Art of Firearms
Located next to the science wing, the art of the firearms exhibit looks at embellishment throughout history, with an emphasis on nineteenth-century factory custom shop engraving, presentation arms, and commemorative firearms. In addition to drawing connections to art, visitors can create their own styles of engraving using a computer program.
Temporary Exhibits
The special exhibits gallery is the most fluid. It will have displays on a rotating basis which may include thematic exhibitions, as well as manufacturer’s and collector’s displays.
Collector and Research Level
The CFM’s lower level is dedicated to the enthusiast and collector, and includes a video about the art of collecting. A gun library allows visitors to study thousands of firearms up close and on both sides by means of clear storage displays. Also in the lower level, visitors can view patents and prototypes, and scholars are able to schedule time to do their own research in the museum’s new reading rooms.
