Buffalo Bill Museum

The Buffalo Bill Museum examines both the personal and public lives of W.F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846-1917) and seeks to tell his story in the context of the history and myth of the American West. It is highly regarded as a research center focusing on the life and times of "Buffalo Bill."

The collections of the Buffalo Bill Museum interpret the history of the American cowboy, dude ranching, Western conservation, frontier entrepreneurship and, perhaps most importantly, the source of our concepts about the West. The museum records how Buffalo Bill, in an age without television or motion pictures, became the world's foremost communicator about the American West.

Buffalo Bill called his show "an educational exposition on a grand and entertaining scale." One of the greatest outdoor shows of its time, Buffalo Bill's Wild West was a spectacular panorama of cowboys, Indians, trick shooters and specialty acts.

Buffalo Bill's Cowboy Band provided the musical accompaniment to all the action in the arena. This group of highly accomplished musicians helped inspire the audience and establish the appropriate mood for what was happening in the arena.

The show ran for 30 years, from 1883 until 1913, touring the United States and Europe with legendary figures such as Sitting Bull and Annie Oakley. While it wasn't possible for millions of Americans to experience the West as he had, Cody brought it to their front doors.

View a timeline of Cody's life and correlating world events. Read interesting essays about Buffalo Bill and other famous Western figures.

According to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center's Code of Ethics, under no circumstance may staff members appraise objects either as part of their normal daily duty or as an independent service.

Are you interested in learning more about Buffalo Bill and the West? Points West Online contains interesting articles relating to the vast collections, exhibitions, programs, and activities of the Buffalo Bill Museum.