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Unique Claims To Fame
Five Museums Cody, Wyo. By RAY BALOGH | The Municipal
The math of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyo., works out rather well: one admission price equals two days’ access to five rich and captivating museums and one extensive research library, all under one roof.
ABOVE: The bronze statue, “Buffalo Bill — The Scout,” was dedicated July 4, 1924. It rests upon a stone base representing nearby Cedar Mountain, where William Cody is buried. (Photo by Alisalla/ Shutterstock.com) TOP PHOTO: The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is comprised of five museums packed with memorabilia, displays and interactive exhibits. Tickets to the facility are good for two consecutive days. (Photo by Ridvan Ozdemir/Shutterstock.com)
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The inaugural museum, originally called the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, was founded in 1917 — the year William F. Cody, aka Buffalo Bill, passed away at the age of 70 in a log cabin across the road from the current location — and now ranks as the world’s oldest and most comprehensive museum complex dedicated to the American West. The current quintet of museums share a building comprising 7 acres, or more than 300,000 square feet, of floor space, containing 50,000-plus artifacts and a research library boasting 30,000 books, 400 manuscript collections and more than half a million photographs. The complex’s natural history museum houses a dozen raptors, including eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, kestrels and owls, which are featured year-round in daily educational presentations. The museums’ expansiveness in recognizing the man’s legacy is understandable. Cody rode for the Pony Express at age 15, served as a scout for the U.S. Army, worked as a town developer and railroad contractor, spent time as a fur trapper and gold prospector and gained
