By M. J. Van Deventer

The West can be as solid as Geronimo or as shimmery as Hollywood. The West reflects America's mind - romance, optimism and beauty on the one hand, and human struggle, conflict and tragedy on the other.

To grasp the truth of the West, begin with the museums. Once considered dusty repositories for saddles and spurs, museums that focus on the West have now become significant American institutions. They present the broad, diverse elements of Western history and offer not only the finest art and artifacts, but also high tech and interactive displays. Visitors discover the traits and traditions that make Americans different and the humanity that unites us. In these settings, Americans can discover themselves.
Above: Wooden bear hat, Chilkat, Alaska, from the National Museum of the American Indian.

The George Gustav Heye Center of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian opened in 1994 in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in lower Manhattan. Its collection is considered one of the most comprehensive collections of the indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere. (212) 668-6624

The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art opened in 1989 in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, and has earned a reputation as one of only two museums in the Midwest to offer extensive collections of both Native American and American Western art. This combination of artistic forms was the unique vision of Harrison Eiteljorg, the museum's founder who wanted a facility that went far beyond the traditional cowboys and Indians. The permanent collection of paintings, drawings and sculpture exposes visitors to vastly different artistic visions of the West. (317) 636-9378
Above: Song of the Aspen by Bert Geer Phillips is on of the most popular paintings at the Eiteljorg.

Gilcrease Museum was the vision of oilman and philanthropist Thomas Gilcrease, one of the first major collectors of Western American art works. Established in 1956 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the museum overlooks the Osage Hills. Gilcrease offers a collection documenting the saga of man in North America from the pre-Columbian era to the present. The Gardens at Gilcrease are also a historical and visual treat. (918) 596-2700
Above: The Stampede by Frederick Remington, from the Gilcrease Museum

The National Cowboy Hall of Fame is the perfect venue for learning about the American cowboy and the West. This sprawling museum is located high atop Persimmon Hill, overlooking old Route 66 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The museum was the dream of Lee Jeans' president Chester A. Reynolds, and it opened in June 1965 with John Wayne as the parade marshal. (405) 478-2250

Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, was established through the generosity of Amon G. Carter Sr. (1879-1955) to house his collection of paintings and sculpture by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. But the museum has moved well beyond the Western genre, and exhibits some of the finest examples of American art, including photography. (817) 738-1933

Sid Richardson Collection of Western Art, also in Fort Worth, features a magnificent collection of paintings by the premier artists of the American West, Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. On permanent display are 56 paintings from the personal collection of the late oilman and philanthropist Sid W. Richardson. Also on display are two silver parade saddles made in 1947 by Edward H. Bohlin. (817) 332-6554

The Cowboy Artists of America Museum in Kerrville, Texas, is a place to live the Western legend through the art and sculpture of contemporary Western artists. This "must see" museum in the heart of Texas' Hill Country, is a bold architectural triumph in its own right, and resembles a fortressed hacienda with 23 boveda domes. The Cowboy Artists of America, a 32-year-old association of artists, and their museum have enjoyed phenomenal success because of an insistence on authentic historical detail in their work. (210) 896-2553

The Museum of New Mexico in Santa Fe includes four separate museums in separate locations, each with a distinctive focus. The Palace of the Governors mirrors its original purpose as a seat of government on a remote frontier and tells tales of almost 400 years of New Mexico history. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture provides insights into Southwestern Indian lifeways. The Museum of Fine Arts is housed in a Pueblo-revival building dating from 1917 and is a feast for the eyes architecturally. The Museum of International Folk Art delights children and adults with its folk art, popular art and toys from more than 100 nations. (505) 827-6463

The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, was founded in 1929 by Dwight B. and Maie Bartlett Heard, avid collectors of Native art and artifacts, who had moved to the Valley of the Sun in the mid-1880s. The museum has become an institution of international renown, displaying objects from 800 A.D. to the 1990s.

Author Barbara Kingsolver once wrote of the Heard Museum, "The objects of art in the collection are exquisite, but that is not the point, for we have all surely seen disembodied pots and baskets in a glass case. Here, those objects begin to speak of where they came from: the colors of Colorado mud and stone, the need for carrying water, the human passion for both survival and beauty." (602) 252-8840

The Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles, California, is a tri-level, mission-style facility located in Griffith Park. The museum offers a collection of fine art, folk art and artifacts such as tools, clothing, games, firearms and furnishings. The museum's proximity to Hollywood makes this a perfect place to explore the myth and reality of the West. Gene Autry was the museum's primary initial benefactor and his goal was "to help build a museum about the rich history of the American West." (213) 667-2000

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, offers four museums under one roof: the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum and the Cody Firearms Museum. The Harold McCracken Research Library is a bibliophile's paradise.

Located in a town of only 8,000 people, the museum today has become an important center devoted to the American West. Authentic Native American tipis line the grounds and inside, visitors can see authentic stagecoaches, beaded moccasins, documentary art by George Catlin and Alfred Jacob Miller, and landscapes by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran. (307) 587-4771

Emigrants Crossing the Plains by Albert Bierstadt from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame