About Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy

To some, the West was a wasteland. To others, including legendary showman and cowboy Buffalo Bill Cody, it held a poetic, almost esoteric power with its "strong characters, its stern battles, and its tremendous stretches of loneliness." Although the face of the West has changed tremendously since the great westward sprawl, the legend of the cowboy lives on in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy. Among its halls, the story of this cultural mainstay explodes, relaying the excitement of the rodeo and its lasting impact on Western American culture through exhibits that teem with history and rare artifacts.

The expansive Hall of Champions honors rodeo's famous champions, clowns, announcers, and other rodeo notables, including funnyman Jon "Chipmunk" Taylor and Frank Schneider, an award-winning rodeo champion who set a world record in 1932 for steer decorating. Among the attire and equipment of these respected individuals, sculptures of daring rodeo events explore the sport's history. The Heritage Hall, meanwhile, tells a different tale. Here, an exploration of design changes in saddles, hats, chaps, and other equipment across the decades documents the sport's evolution. In honor of those who made the ProRodeo Hall of Fame possible, the memorial Founders Hall swells with cast-iron busts decked out in high-crowned cowboy hats, crisp collars, and hopelessly stiff ropes, introducing guests to the notable individuals and organizations who helped bring this museum to fruition.

Yet the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy does more than tell the story of events past. During warmer months, guests can wander to the outdoor garden exhibit's Priefert Arena to take part in team roping events, Wild West shows, convention rodeos, or visit the Rodeo Livestock Exhibit, where retired rodeo horses live out their summers at the Hall of Fame's Zoetis Barn. The gift shop helps guests live their cowboy dreams by offering rodeo souvenirs, books, and DVDs.