The Best Western Art Museums

Tour the West and discover the grandeur and breadth of artwork that defines the region. 

- Johnny D. Boggs

Hollywood and Western mythology seemed to strike a chord with Western art museums and their patrons, but, as usual, this year’s top Western art museums offered a variety of exhibits to appeal to all tastes.

1 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, SMITHSONIAN WASHINGTON, DC: “From Trail of Tears: A Story of Cherokee Removal” (through January) to “Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations” (through 2021), this museum continues to be diverse in themes and exhibits. NMAI.si.edu

2 TACOMA ART MUSEUM • TACOMA, WA: If you want a diverse look at Western art, consider “Immigrant Artists and the American West,” running through June 14, 2020; and “Native Portraiture: Power and Perception” and “Places to Call Home: Settlements in the West and Winter in the West,” all running through February 10, 2019. TacomaArtMuseum.org

3 SID RICHARDSON MUSEUM FORT WORTH, TX: “Frederic Remington: Altered States” and “Legacy,” which both close September 8, 2018, were eye-opening and educational, and you can’t beat this museum for its collection of the masters or its price—free. SidRichardsonMuseum.org

4 THE BRINTON MUSEUMBIGHORN, WY: Great location and scenery? Check. Located on an historic ranch? Check. Artwork by Karl Bodmer, James Audubon, Thomas Moran, Charles M. Russell and Frederic Remington? Check. No need to say more. TheBrintonMuseum.org