Buffalo Bill Center of the West

State: Wyoming. Type: five-museum complex in Cody, founded 1917 following the death of William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody. Address: 720 Sheridan Ave, Cody, WY 82414. A Smithsonian Affiliate since 2008 — Wyoming's first. Houses more than 50,000 artifacts across a seven-acre complex.

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a complex of five museums in downtown Cody, founded in 1917 in the wake of William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody's death to preserve his legacy and the story of the American West he helped popularize through his Wild West show. The complex has grown to encompass the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum, together holding more than 50,000 artifacts across a seven-acre site. Since 2008 it has held Smithsonian Affiliate status, the first such designation in Wyoming. The Cody Firearms Museum alone displays about 4,200 of its roughly 7,000 firearms alongside some 20,000 related artifacts, while the Draper Natural History Museum offers roughly 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits on the Yellowstone ecosystem. The on-site McCracken Research Library adds a scholarly dimension, holding 36,000 books, more than 600 manuscript collections and over a million historical photographs related to the American West.

The center is located at 720 Sheridan Avenue, Cody, WY 82414, in downtown Cody, Park County, in northwestern Wyoming.

Cody's climate is dry and sunny, with roughly 300 sunny days a year and modest annual precipitation (about 11.5 inches); since the museum is entirely indoors and climate-controlled, weather has limited impact on a visit here. See the Cody destination entry for fuller climate detail.

The center is open longest (8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily) from May 1 through September 15, coinciding with peak Yellowstone travel season, so summer offers the fullest hours but also the largest crowds. Visiting in the Nov-Feb period, when hours are Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., offers a quieter visit but a shorter open window.

The museum complex traces to 1917, founded shortly after the death of William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody to commemorate his life and his influence on the economic and cultural development of the American West through his famous 'Buffalo Bill's Wild West' show. Over the following decades the complex expanded from a single museum into five distinct museums: the Buffalo Bill Museum (redesigned in 2012), the Plains Indian Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum (redesigned in 2019). In 2008 the center became Wyoming's first Smithsonian Affiliate.

A single ticket covers all five museums plus current special exhibitions, with admission valid for two days within a 7-day period, allowing visitors to spread a visit across more than one day. Highlights include firearms displays at the Cody Firearms Museum, Western art at the Whitney museum, Plains Indian cultural artifacts, natural history and Yellowstone ecosystem exhibits at the Draper museum, and Buffalo Bill's personal history and Wild West show artifacts at the Buffalo Bill Museum. Researchers can also access the McCracken Research Library's books, manuscripts and photograph collections.

The five constituent museums are: the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, the Whitney Western Art Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum. The McCracken Research Library is an additional resource for in-depth research within the same complex.

The center sits in downtown Cody at 720 Sheridan Avenue, a short drive or walk from most Cody lodging. Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD), about 2 miles from downtown Cody, is the nearest commercial airport; Cody is also reached via US Highways 14, 16 and 20.

As of research: May 1-Sept 15, daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sept 16-Oct 31, daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Nov 1-30, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Dec 1-Feb 28/29, Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Mar 1-Apr 30, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; closes at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Confirm current hours at centerofthewest.org before visiting.

As of research: adults $23, seniors $22, kids 6-17 $16, members free, Park County WY youth free (plus one accompanying adult). Tickets cover all five museums and are valid for two days within a 7-day period. Confirm current pricing at tickets.centerofthewest.org.

Given the size of the collection (five museums, 50,000+ artifacts), many visitors take advantage of the two-day admission window; a single dedicated day is workable for a faster visit, but plan at least three to four hours minimum.

Downtown Cody offers hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts within easy reach of the museum on foot or by short drive; see the Cody destination entry for general lodging character, as specific property names were not confirmed on sources checked.

Downtown Cody's dining scene, a short walk or drive from the center, spans casual to upscale options per area tourism sources; specific restaurant names were not confirmed on sources checked.

Old Trail Town, with its more than 25 relocated historic buildings, and the wider town of Cody's rodeo and Western-heritage attractions are nearby. Yellowstone National Park's East Entrance is about 52 miles west.

Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) is about 2 miles from downtown Cody and the center. A rental car or short rideshare covers the distance easily; downtown Cody is also walkable.

As an indoor museum complex, general museum etiquette applies (no touching firearms or artifacts on display). ADA-accessible marked parking spaces are available, per the center's own site. For any emergency, dial 911.

A camera for the extensive art, firearms, and natural history displays; comfortable shoes since the complex spans five separate museums; and your ticket confirmation, since admission covers a two-day window that may be worth using across separate visits.

Because a single ticket is valid for two days within a 7-day period, consider splitting a visit across two shorter days rather than rushing all five museums in one. Check seasonal hours before visiting, since the schedule shortens considerably from December through February. Pair a visit with Old Trail Town or Cody's rodeo performances to round out a stay in town.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For visitor questions, call the center directly at 307-587-4771.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West - https://centerofthewest.org

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.