Buffalo Bill Center of the West

CURATORIAL, LIBRARY, COLLECTIONS AND CONSERVATION:The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is an accredited museum through the American Alliance of Museums with over 150,000 square feet of exhibit space representing five disciplines - art, life and times of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, firearms, natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Plains Indians cultures and histories.The Center houses more than 104,000 collection objects, 7,800 linear feet of archival collections, 36,000 books, and more than a million historic photographs across its five museums and research library. The curatorial and museum services staffs serve as a resource to other museums, archives and libraries throughout Wyoming and surrounding states.

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP:The Center prides itself on its production of original scholarship by staff and through partnerships. Through and beyond its world-class research library, the museum's staff works independently and with outside scholars to connect audiences with groundbreaking knowledge about the American West. Research outputs include popular and scholarly publications (in print and online) covering a wide range of topics. The popular publication "Points West" magazine is produced four times a year and features articles on varied topics about the American West, past and present.Current Center research focuses include Yellowstone National Park, historical and contemporary firearms, the American fur trade, the ecological and cultural importance of the Green River, decolonizing museums of Indigenous cultures, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's show posters and bat ecology in northwest Wyoming. The Center also fosters outside research through a robust program of internships and fellowships and collaborative projects with research organizations and universities. An example of the latter is an on-going partnership with UC Berkley to examine predator/prey relationships and animal migrations in the Greater Yellowstone region.

EDUCATION:The Center has a strong formal educational program that addresses both the pedagogical and content knowledge of K-16 students. On-site programs connect students and teachers to specific standards in Wyoming state history and STEM curricula. Virtual field trip programs have brought the museum to more than 190,000 students around the globe and has attained preferred provider status with Microsoft in Education's Flip. The museum's expertise in providing K-12 resources on-line and teacher professional development has been recognized through numerous partnerships with the state of Wyoming's Department of Education.The Center has expansive adult and family educational programs for both the casual day visitor as well as the local community. This includes guided tours, daily raptor experience programs, children's workshops and field experiences, lectures, evening programs and other activities. The museum also partners with numerous community organizations to bring cultural events to the Cody community. The museum's strategic plan addresses the key role that the museum has in supporting the Cody community through providing educational opportunities within the region.