Children & Families

The Best Hour You Spend in the West!

CHILDREN FIRST

The attention span of young children can be very short. They may find a security officer or an elevator more interesting than the exhibitions you had in mind. Visit the exhibitions or galleries that the youngest children want to see first. If you are traveling with preschoolers, plan to spend no more than an hour in any one museum.

Check the events calendar - the Buffalo Bill Historical Center offers numerous activities, programs and talks for children & adults.

DO YOU KNOW ...?

Another way to keep children interested is to talk about the exhibition being visited. Encourage their imagination. Ask them to pretend to be that object, animal, or person. Or pick a theme -like bison-and have the children find the bison throughout the five museums. The Draper Museum of Natural History features Passport Field Stations where children can get their DMNH passport stamped while exploring the museum. The Whitney Gallery of Western Art features a Family Guide - located at the entrance to the gallery. The Family Guide asks fun questions and gets great responses! When the guide is completed - take it to the Admissions Desk for a BBHC souvenir.

TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS - especially with preschoolers

Museum Selections has a great selection of children's books. Stop at the The Mustang Grill for an ice cream treat. Take a stroll through the sculpture gardens or look at the historic structures outside, such as Buffalo Bill's Boyhood Home.

Admission to the Historical Center is good for two consecutive days - try splitting up a Historical Center visit with other Cody activities, such as a Cody Trolley Tour.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

There's so much to see and do at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. When a child becomes restless, suggest a change of pace. Experience the history of the Blackfeet people in the Seasons of Life Gallery in the Plains Indian Museum - featuring a spectacular audio-video production set in an authentic 19th century tipi camp.

Let the children relax and listen to a story or read a book in the Campfire Circle in the Draper Museum of Natural History. Have fun with the hands-on activities areas in the museums or the special exhibitions gallery.

Let a child's imagination take over as they view the wonderful re-creations of artist's studios in the Whitney Gallery of Western Art. What would they do if they were working in Frederic Remington's Studio?

COMPUTER FUN

Interactive computers are available in many of the museums. Visit the Learning More stations in each gallery of the Plains Indian Museum, or enjoy the Draper Interactives in the Draper Museum of Natural History; as well as The Cody Firearms Interactive Museum found at stations throughout the Firearms Museum's galleries. The Whitney Gallery of Western Art features a Resource Room with computer interactives, videos, books, and other activities.