Every issue of Western Art Collector features museum coverage, whether it’s larger previews of the big sales—such as Prix de West, Night of Artists or Quest for the West—or smaller previews of new exhibitions, events or programming. We believe in museums and their role within the Western art community. And we support their missions. Even as we cover museums in each issue, we always devote our October issue to our Western Museums special section, which includes our popular Western Museum Directory. As you flip through this section, admiring the art and learning about the exhibitions, please consider becoming a member of, or even donating to, your favorite museum. Museums are here for us, but they are also here for the generations that come after us.
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From left: A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, Red River Kid, oil on canvas, by Arthur Roy Mitchell (1889-1977). A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, Bustin, oil on canvas, by Arthur Roy Mitchell (1889-1977). A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, Image 1866, sketch, by Arthur Roy Mitchell (1889-1977).
A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art
150 E. Main Street, Trinidad, CO 81082 • (719) 846-4224 • armitchellmuseum@gmail.com • www.armitchellmuseum.comThe A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art in Trinidad, Colorado, celebrates the heritage of the American West. Housed in a historic 1906 department store, it holds more than 250 paintings and illustrations by Arthur Roy Mitchell, the “King of the Pulp Covers,” which capture early 20th-century cowboy life and vast landscapes. The collection features Western pulp magazine covers, oil paintings, sketches and charcoal drawings. Beyond illustrations, the museum showcases Native American rugs and pottery, historic Hispanic folk art and cowboy artifacts like antique saddles. Exhibitions feature Mitchell’s legendary contemporaries, including Harvey Dunn and Harold Von Schmidt, as well as contemporary Western creators such as Cody Kuehl, Thomas Blackshear, Colt Idol and Peggy Judy. “The Mitch” honors the rugged spirit of Western illustration, making it a vital cultural anchor for American history and regional art.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Resonance 5, October 2026
Legacy of Illustration, May 2027
Unbridled II, August 2027
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Top: The Booth Museum’s North Gate at night. Bottom: Booth Western Art Museum, Indian at Gallup Bus Depot, 1969, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Fritz Scholder (Luiseño, 1937-2005. Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, GA. Booth Western Art Museum, America the Beautiful, 2025, fabric, 29½ x 26½ in., by Linda Bailey.
Booth Western Art Museum
501 N. Museum Drive, Cartersville, GA 30120 • (770) 387-1300 • www.boothmuseum.orgLocated just north of Atlanta is the Booth Western Art Museum, with the world’s largest permanent exhibition space for Western art. Since opening its doors in 2003, this architectural gem, designed to evoke a modern pueblo and crafted from Bulgarian limestone, has captivated visitors within its expansive 120,000 square feet.
As a proud affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the Booth offers a unique lens through which to view America’s story, with its diverse collection spanning paintings, sculptures, photography and historical artifacts.
The museum’s permanent collection spans more than a dozen galleries, featuring masterpieces from iconic artists like Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, as well as contemporary visionaries such as Howard Terpning and Andy Warhol. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Booth hosts 12 to 15 temporary exhibitions annually. Currently on display are Arnold Friberg: Painting Faith, Freedom and the American Spirit, on view through January 10, 2027 and Songwriter Musician: Nashville Photography by Ed Rode, on view through April 18, 2027.
Upcoming Exhibitions
30 @ 30: 30 Native Artists, 30 Artworks, Made in Their 30s Curated by Tony Abeyta (Diné/Navajo), November 7, 2026-March 14, 2027
Matriotism: Celebrating 250 Years of Inspiring American Women Through Quilts, November 7, 2026-February 7, 2027
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Top: Briscoe Western Art Museum Sunday Riding at Mission San Jose, 2014, oil on linen, 36 x 48 in., by Gladys Roldán-de-Moras. Gift of Marrs McLean Bowman in Memory of His Mother Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers. Briscoe Western Art Museum, Once Upon A Time, 2020, oil on canvas, 36⅛ x 34¼ in., by Mark Maggiori. Gift of the artist. Bottom: Briscoe Western Art Museum, Camino de Galvez, 2014, bronze, 126 x 155 x 84 in., by T.D. Kelsey. Purchased with funds provided by the Jack and Valerie Guenther Foundation in honor of the Lindsay and Jack Guenther Jr. Family.
Briscoe Western Art Museum
210 W. Market Street, San Antonio, TX 78205 • (210) 299-4499 • www.briscoemuseum.orgThe West starts at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, located on the iconic River Walk in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Texas. Through art, artifacts and immersive experiences, the Briscoe brings the history, culture and enduring influence of the American West to life.
The museum explores the West through four pillars: Wildlife & the Land; Native People of the Americas; Tejanos, Vaqueros & Spanish Heritage; and Cowboys & the American Frontier. Together, these interconnected stories reveal the people, cultures, traditions and landscapes that shaped the West and continue to influence America today.
Across its galleries and McNutt Sculpture Garden, visitors encounter paintings, sculpture, photography and historic artifacts spanning generations, with works by celebrated historic and contemporary Western artists. The Briscoe also presents dynamic exhibitions and programs throughout the year, including Night of Artists, its nationally recognized annual exhibition and sale featuring more than 80 of today’s leading Western artists.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Night of Artists Exhibition and Sale , April 2-3, 2027
Opening weekend events, celebration and live auction, April 4-May 9, 2027
Public exhibition and sale, Escaramuza: Poetics of Home , June 10-September 5, 2027
Highlights from the Lewis Collection , October 7, 2027-January 2, 2028
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Top: Denver Art Museum, The Scout (detail), 1915, oil paint on canvas, 21 x 26 in., by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926). Planned Gift from Tom and Jane Petrie to the Denver Art Museum. Photo by Jeff Wells, courtesy Denver Art Museum. The Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado.
Bottom: Denver Art Museum, War Robe, late 1880s to early 1900s, deer hide and commercial pigment, 58¼ x 48½ in., possibly attributed to Percy (Two Gun) Plain Woman (Káínai Nation). Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds, 1938.260.
Denver Art Museum
100 W 14th Avenue Pkwy Denver, CO 80204 • (720) 865-5000 • info@denverartmuseum.org • www.denverartmuseum.orgThe Denver Art Museum is one of the largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast. The museum’s global art collections represent cultures from around the world and comprise more than 80,000 works of art across 13 collections, including the Petrie Institute of Western American Art (PIWAA). PIWAA oversees the museum’s Western American art collection, which encompasses two centuries of paintings, sculptures and works on paper by renowned artists who worked in and depicted the American West. The Denver community has long embraced its Western roots, and the Denver Art Museum has collected art related to the West for more than 60 years. In addition, PIWAA promotes scholarship in the field through exhibitions, annual symposia and publications.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell , September 6, 2026-January 24, 2027
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Top: An exterior view of the Museum of the Big Bend’s new entrance. Photo by Rebekah Antrosio. Below Left: Museum of the Big Bend, Going Home - Elephant Mountain, ca. 1940s, oil on canvas, 24 x 32 in., by Fred Darge (1900-1978). Photo courtesy the Museum of the Big Bend. Below Right: Museum of the Big Bend, Texas Longhorns, 1945-46, oil on canvas covered Masonite, 36½ x 38¼ in., by Tom Lea (1907-2001). Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Life Magazine.
Museum of the Big Bend
400 N. Harrison Street • Alpine, TX 79832 • (432) 837-8730 museumofthebigbend@sulross.edu • www.museumofthebigbend.comAs a premier cultural destination in Far West Texas, the Museum of the Big Bend offers a rich collection that spans centuries of exploration, settlement and artistic expression. Visitors can explore Native American artifacts, pioneer memorabilia and contemporary works of art, all showcasing the diverse heritage of the Big Bend region. Art on display includes the works of Tom Lea and Fred Darge. Beyond its permanent collection, the museum hosts rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and community events throughout the year. From hands-on workshops and guided tours to thought-provoking lectures, there’s always something new to experience.
Upcoming Exhibitions
40th Annual Trappings of Texas, September 17-October 31, 2026
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Museum of Western Art, Helios, oil on linen, 60 x 60 in., by Adrienne Stein. The Museum of Western Art main gallery.
Museum of Western Art
1550 Bandera Highway, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830) 896 2553 • dbeauchamp@museumofwesternart.com • www.museumofwesternart.comThe timeless mystique of the Old West is what draws most people to the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville. Situated high on a hill overlooking the city, the bold structure was designed by famed Texas architect O’Neil Ford and opened in 1983 as the Cowboy Artists of America Museum. Now known as the Museum of Western Art, it features a rugged hacienda-type exterior and manicured grounds graced by larger-than-life size bronzes.
The 14,000 square feet of interior space houses an impressive permanent collection of paintings and sculptures, all done by past and present renowned Western artists. Distinctive handcrafted Boveda ceilings, end-cut mesquite wood and Saltillo tile flooring combine with a multitude of western artifacts and priceless art to leave a lasting impression on all who visit this Hill Country treasure.
Upcoming Exhibitions
The Enchanted West of Adrienne Stein, Through November 7, 2026
Two Visions of the West, November 14, 2026-January 9, 2027
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National Museum of Wildlife Art, Red Curtain, 2021, archival pigment print, by Cristina Mittermeier. Collection of the Artist. © Cristina Mittermeier. National Museum of Wildlife Art, American Black Bear, 1929, oil on canvas. 61½ x 76½ in., by Carl Rungius (1869-1959). Gift of the Jackson Hole Preserve, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Estate of Carl Rungius. National Museum of Wildlife Art, Early Spring, 1983, oil on canvas. 42 x 40 in., by Lars Jonsson. Collection of the Woodson Art Museum.
National Museum of Wildlife Art
2820 Rungius Road, Jackson, WY 83001 • (307) 733-5771 • info@wildlifeart.org • www.wildlifeart.orgFounded in 1987, the National Museum of Wildlife Art is a world-class museum and nonprofit located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The museum’s collection boasts more than 5,000 artworks representing wild animals from around the world. Featuring work by prominent artists like N.C. Wyeth, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Ai Weiwei, Thomas Moran and Carl Rungius—the museum’s unsurpassed permanent collection chronicles much of the history of wildlife in art, from 2500 B.C. to the present. Built into a hillside overlooking the National Elk Refuge, the museum received the designation “National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States” by order of Congress in 2008. In addition to the impressive galleries, the museum also includes a museum shop, interactive children’s gallery, Palate restaurant and the outdoor Sculpture Trail.
Located just two-and-a-half miles north of the Jackson Town Square, and two miles from the gateway of Grand Teton National Park, the museum is ideally situated.
The National Museum of Wildlife Art is proud to welcome more than 60,000 visitors through its doors annually, including more than 5,000 children.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Birds in Art: Fiftieth Anniversary Exhibition , October 17, 2026-April 25, 2027
Cristina Mittermeier: A Greater Wisdom, October 31, 2026-May 9, 2027
Carl Rungius: Wildlife, Art, and Wilderness, May 22-August 22, 2027
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A family sits in the William S. and Ann Atherton Gallery. The museum exterior at sunrise. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Memory of the Land, oil on panel, 20 x 16 in., by David Kassan, from the 2026 Small Works, Great Wonders.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111 • (405) 478-2250 • thecowboy.orgThe National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City is home to one of the world’s premier collections of Western art, bringing together historic masters, contemporary artists and the diverse artistic traditions of the American West.
Visitors can experience iconic works by Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell and other legendary artists alongside contemporary painting, sculpture and the extraordinary craftsmanship of the museum’s Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Exhibition & Sale. This November, collectors can experience Small Works, Great Wonders, the museum’s annual small works art sale featuring leading contemporary Western artists. Guests can also experience The Cowboy: An Immersive Journey, bringing Western art, history and landscapes to life through an immersive cinematic experience.
From historic masterpieces to contemporary art and traditional cowboy craftsmanship, The Cowboy offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the full breadth of Western art.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Small Works, Great Wonders, November 2026
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Top: The exterior of the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona. Bottom: George Phippen studio replica on view at the museum.
Phippen Museum of Western Art
4701 Highway 89 North, Prescott, AZ 86301 • (928) 778-1385 jeannette@phippenartmuseum.org • www.phippenartmuseum.orgThe Phippen Museum of Western Art celebrates the art, heritage, history and traditions of the American West through its exhibitions, collections and educational programs. The museum features both historic and contemporary Western art, offering visitors an opportunity to explore the many perspectives and artistic traditions that define the West. The collection and exhibitions include works by renowned historical artists such as George Phippen, Ray Swanson and Solon Borglum, as well as contemporary artists including Bill Nebeker and John Coleman. From painting and sculpture to Native American art and contemporary interpretations of the Western landscape, the Phippen strives to present a dynamic view of the West, honoring its artistic traditions while celebrating the artists who continue to shape and expand the genre today.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Mountain Artist Guild’s Artists Spotlight, Dates TBD
New American West, Dates TBD
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Top: A life-size sculpture by John Coleman sits at the entrance of the Sigler Western Museum. Bottom: The newly designated Sigler Western Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona.
Sigler Western Museum
21 N. Frontier Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390 • (928) 684-2272 • www.westernmuseum.orgFounded in 1960 and located in historic Wickenburg, Arizona, the Sigler Western Museum is home to a renowned collection of Western art and history. With exhibitions that honor both the heritage and evolving culture of the American West, the museum is a vibrant destination for discovery and inspiration. Every year the museum draws nearly 40,000 visitors from the United States and abroad. The museum is accredited through the American Alliance of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. With a generous donation from Wickenburg residents Carey and Jack Sigler, the museum’s name recently changed to Sigler Western Museum from Desert Caballeros Western Museum. Their transformational gift is helping make possible the construction of a new art museum and art pavilion, scheduled to open in early 2028. Upon completion, the museum campus will encompass four buildings, including the existing campus and the new expanded campus directly across Wickenburg Way.
At the heart of the museum’s acclaimed art collection are masterpieces by George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, and works by the Cowboy Artists of America, along with celebrated Western women artists including Georgia O’Keeffe. Step downstairs for a journey through 1912 Wickenburg, where life-size dioramas recreate scenes from the town’s early days on the desert frontier. Looking ahead, the museum’s signature annual exhibition, Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West, opens each spring and showcases more than 50 of the West’s finest women artists across many mediums and styles. The exhibition routinely draws Western collectors from all around the country.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West Invitational Exhibition and Sale, March 19-May 30, 2027
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