Toys are a great example of how historians learn about people’s everyday lives. Hunter Old Elk, the curatorial assistant of the Plains Indian Museum, said a great example in the collection is a toy horse and doll. “This is supposed to represent the nomadic culture of the Plains,” said Old Elk. “So a female figure […]
Pop culture usually influences the way we live. And it turns out firearms collecting is no different. Danny Michael, the Cody Firearms Museum curator, said in the past western movies really influenced what type of guns were collected but today that is changing. A great example is the Die Hard series. “Where John McClane, you […]
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Whitney Western Art Museum in 2008, artist Ted Waddell donated a large painting titled, Red Lodge Horses. Turns out it was also in honor of his 50-year painting career as well. Karen McWhorter, the curator of the Whitney, said the painting is an abstract depiction of horses in a […]
There are times when a curator of a museum may decide not to keep an object that came in with a larger collection. That’s because of the damage or quality of the object. Rebecca West, the curator of the Plains Indian Museum, came across this dilemma when she found a spoon that had a lot […]
John B. Stetson came West as a young man. He was the son of a successful hatter. In the West, he recognized the need for a felt hat with a wide brim to keep off rain and sun. His famous “Boss of the Plains” hat became widely popular and he was forever associated with the […]
Painter Thomas Moran visited Yellowstone National Park in 1871. A year before, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park. Moran traveled to Yellowstone on a formal expedition to document both in text and imagery of the place to the world. “Moran was tasked with bringing color to Yellowstone,” said Karen McWhorter, the curator of the […]