Museum is ‘Western Museum of the Year’

Desert Caballeros Western Museum’s Executive Director Royce Kardinal displays the “Western Museum of the Year” award.

With its reputation continuing to expand well beyond its own state, Arizona’s Desert Caballeros Western Museum was recently named “Western Museum of the Year” at the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration held in Lubbock, Texas (Sept. 7-9).

The event, one of the West’s largest dedicated to exploring the traditions of the American frontier, is held annually.

In winning the prestigious National Cowboy Symposium award, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum joins the prestigious ranks of other well-known western museums who have won it in the past, including the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo.; the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Okla.; and the Autry Museum in Los Angeles, Calif.Presenting it as an “American Cowboy Culture Award,” the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration singled out the Desert Caballeros Western Museum for its contribution to cowboy culture and western heritage. Accepting the award was Royce Kardinal, executive director of the Museum.

“As Arizona’s most western museum, we now have more than 52,000 visitors seeking us out annually so that they can further experience ‘the real West.’ Certainly, as our state plays out its vision for the future, we must also keep our eye on nurturing and caring for our cowboy - and cowgirl - past,” said Kardinal.

As part of its commitment to keeping this spirit of the West alive, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum will launch a season-long series of new exhibits and events that pay homage to it beginning November 3.

“Throughout the next season, we’ll celebrate the ‘Year of the Cowboy…Year of the Cowgirl,’ beginning with a spectacular exhibition of cowboy art on Nov. 3,” said Kardinal. “We’ll continue the celebration with the Museum’s third annual ‘Cowgirl Up!’ art exhibition and sale scheduled March 27 through May 4.”

According to Kardinal, “Cowgirl Up!,” named in its inaugural year as one of the State of Arizona’s best special events, has already become the most important exhibition and sale for western women artists in the country. A total of 57 of the West’s top women artists participate in the invitation-only event created by the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. Last year, the exhibition and sale drew nearly 12,000 people to the small western town of Wickenburg during its month-long run.

The Desert Caballeros Western Museum is known as Arizona’s Most Western Museum, serving over 52,000 visitors a year by preserving and exhibiting the art and history of the Southwest and desert frontier. The Museum is known for its innovative programming and has an extraordinary collection including western art and Native American arts, along with the Hays’ Spirit of the Cowboy Collection, one of the most complete collections of western artifacts on display in the country.

The Museum’s entire lower level is devoted to a re-creation of life in Late Territorial Wickenburg and to a fascinating, permanent exhibit called “Out on the Ranch,” which has been especially created with children in mind. The Museum is located at 21 N. Frontier Street in Wickenburg and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For information, call 684-2272, or visit www.westernmuseum.org.

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