Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

The Spirit of the West, Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, has grown from a lovely traveling exhibition museum into a World Class permanent collection Art Museum. It is home to some of the most impressive western art in the country. In addition to the Art, the architecture of the exterior of the buildings is legendary and unique. I’ve never seen anything quite so stunning . I’ve been to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, The Prado in Madrid, The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, The Louvre in Paris… all world Class. But for Western Art and Culture, Architecture & A deep Dive into the History of the 19 American Western states …. Do Not Miss This Gem.

It's an amazing experience. You learn about the past, there is also an upstairs. There is so much to see, you can be there for two hours. Very educational.

This place is incredible. We could have spent a whole day inside! The docents are very knowledgeable and friendly. Well worth the price of admission.

What a museum for western spirit week. I was in awe of the history in the museum! What a gem. Thankful for this newer museum. Opened in 2015.

I liked this museum however it did not seem to mention anything about the white people killing the Indians and taking their land. It seems to reflect the popular sense of entitlement in Arizona.

Though definitely not the most impressive western museum I've been to, the Western Spirit museum was still a delightful little stop that gave me an hour of enjoyment. There's paintings and even presidential campaign posters. I've been to a more impressive western museum in San Antonio, but this museum still served it's purpose. Staff was helpful though! Also, if you're bringing three guests, make sure to buy museum passes.

The exhibit for John Clymer’s artworks was incredible, I was in complete awe. There are some incredible pieces in this museum. Worth visiting!

Be sure to go upstairs!!!! The looks are deceiving as it is quite a large museum. Between the permanent exhibits and the curated limited time exhibitions it was outstanding. Pottery, Native American artifacts, photography, paintings, historic western artifacts really marvelous. A gem of a museum.

Another WOW. Such a great tribute to the American Southwest. A unique place on earth. A fusion of different cultures and uniquely Southwestern. This should be on your must-do travel list if visiting Phoenix

First time visiting this museum. I had no idea it was right in old town but really enjoyed the exhibits. Lots of cool artwork and showcases and even some fun interactive elements too. Definitely a great spot for all ages.

Amazing Western experience and museum in Scottsdale, Arizona filled with tremendous history, incredible art and interactive experiences. The museum is absolutely beautiful and the membership fees are very reasonable.

What a great local museum!!! The exhibits are fabulous and show so much western and native American history!!! You can almost picture being there at that time. It's a small, beautiful building, but manages to pack in so many wonderful artifacts, collections, paintings, etc.... Interactive areas for the kids. Such a friendly and knowledgeable staff!! Can take a tour or go on your own. A great gift shop as well. It pays to get a yearly membership as they do change their exhibits and you can go anytime. Free parking is definitely a plus!!

This museum is such a beautiful work of art. If you like unique architecture you will really enjoy the museum. I went today to look at their gift shop. I heard they have a good collection of books and puzzles. I wanted to see for myself. I enjoyed the gift shop so much. It's getting harder and harder to find nice hardback books and quality puzzles. They also had locally made ornaments and other locally made merchandise. The staff was super friendly. Next time I will go to see the museum. Parking was free on the south west side of the museum building. Definitely a plus!

Just went to the museum on 3/2/24 , my favorite part was the docent led tour by Howard at 11:20AM and the Tom Gilleon exhibit which is there through August. Gilleon brings bright colors and a fresh perspective to western art work as a former Disney illustrator. His take on Square Butte, Montana land scapes and native Americans brought new life to these historical attractions. The ticket price is $28. However a member gave us their two guest tickets for a free visit.

We thought about going here for free during the Western week but then we wanted to avoid the crowd. We found out that if we bought tickets online, we will save a couple dollars. So we got the online tickets right before we left the house and just showed them the tickets on our phone when we arrived. There are lots of public parking spots underground next to the museum. These exhibitions are cool with lots of western cowboy items from the past. The space is not too big and not too small. We enjoy our times seeing paintings, watching videos, looking at artifacts, and doing some activities.

EXCEPTIONAL! I'm an avid museum visitor in U.S. and abroad. This museum is stands out. Variety of mediums. I like that three tours are offered. The building is quite striking. The docent explained the materials used and the eco-friendliness of the structure.

Knocking off the must see sites before I leave Arizona. This museum was recommended by a fellow photographer I encountered on the San Tan Mountains. It was hyped up and I was excited as he explained the exhibit to me. I had to see it myself! And It was so worth it! Stunning Black and White photos of " The Gatherers'. It showcases the Original farmers family's descendants continuing in the business of farming throughout Arizona and neighboring states. The prints are impressive! The building also houses Native American artifacts, Tapestries, and a beautiful assortment of Saddles, Chaps, Guns. Make sure to check out the outside area, some gorgeous bronze status to be seen. Don't miss it!! I'm grateful for that brief encounter with the fellow photographer!! Lots of nice products, books, Jewely in the museum store. And lots of free parking right next door. Look for the underground signs .

For me this is a memorable museum. It is the right size for me, not too big, not too small. Some of the art is outstanding, other art mediums, and antiquities. Everything was done with thoughtful planning. Well with the time spent.

Lots to see for history and western U.S.A. buffs. Allow plenty of time. Docents are very knowledgeable. Took two "tours," each about 45 minutes. Learned a lot. Admission for non-members is pricey. Museum store should expand their assortment of post cards. (Yes, tourists still like to send them to friends and relatives.) Postcards for sale are meager, oversized and boring.

Pretty cool museum. Edward Curtis took pictures of tribe's people throughout the north and southwest. Amazing to see and imagine their lives. One gallery was under construction but it was still interesting to visit. We'd just visited the Heard where we saw how terribly we treated the southwest tribes. So that worked as a counterpoint to this museum.

Incredibly well kept museum with very interesting Native American themed arts, pottery, & Western arts collection. On a blazing hot day, we picked this place to cool off & it was conveniently located right next to the public free parking . But once we were inside, we were pleasantly surprised by its beautiful collection & ended up spending hours to go through their unique exhibition. Highly recommend.

Nice building. Well laid out but, actually, I was disappointed. When we talked in, no greeting from the cashier. I asked if there was an introductory film. She said she did not know. We decided to wait a few minutes and take a docent tour. When the group met, the guide then was told by an employee the elevator was out of order since the day before. Our tour was on the 2nd floor. Our guide could hardly walk. Why in the world would they not let her to come in and stay home or conduct tours only on the 2nd floor? The steps were looooong. The exhibits were mainly art. No explanation how the West was settled. We did not see everything and will not be back.

What is advertised as a Scottsdale Museum of the West, is more of an art gallery than a museum. In fact historic value is close to zero, with lots of replicas, pictures of dubious historical accuracy, while Native Indian items such as original clothing items are not from the Southwest region at all but from Wyoming, Canada or Dakotas. At the same time "museum" is clean, new, well organized with ample number of employees and volunteers. It does appear that this museum opened in 2015 is long sought desire by the City of Scottsdale to build itself from a sleepy western town into premier resort town, hence museum is must have in such a town. Unfortunately, whoever organized museum didn't care about accuracy. Lastly - good portion of museum is dedicated to pictures of Edward Curtis of Native Indians. While pictures are from the 19th century indeed, Curtis was known to pay Natives to pose, dressed in garb that he made them wear along with wigs he put on them. Zero history to this. What could have been a real Southwest experience of Pueblo civilization, early settler experiences, territory experiences, as well as rise to statehood-are minor details Museum is not interested in. Disappointing experience in its entirety. Two stars for effort!

After visiting the Museum of the West I've decided it's time to get a pair of boots and a country hat. The museum had me feeling a little bit country. It was fantastic. I've always appreciated the arts, but western art usually never moved my internal needle. The photograph exhibit of Ed Curtis absolutely did. His photographs and portraits were moving and can really help someone appreciate American history, different people, and other cultures. His detailed images were clearly very powerful. It was so cool to see the evolution of printing and photographs as several of his images were printed on bronze with great technical ingenuity. As great as the museum was, I felt it was too big. I got a little tired and needed to leave for coffee.

If you're a fan of Southwestern, Native American, or anything Cowboy related you have to check this museum out. I was in town visiting family from Los Angeles and was pleased to find a large and informative museum out of the big city. They have tons of exhibits divided into 2 floors and different sections. Currently there is an extensive exhibit on the photography of Edward Curtis. He documented Native American and Western life and on display are some truly great images of a time that will never come back around again. The images saved that part of history in a way which is great to see. They also have a lot of western themed art on display as well as all sorts of spurs, lassos, saddles, chaps, and all sorts of cowboy gear from Texas style to California style, which I knew nothing about coming in so it was nice to walk away with a lot of information about something I thought was just standard. Overall it's a great museum with a lot of great content. I spent about 90 minutes but could have stayed longer. Parking is also really easy in the area and free, which is nice change for me. I would recommend and will be back again sometime in the future.

The largest collection of Edward Curtis in the world! This museum is a treasure of history, art and the human spirit. If you think you already know everything about Edward Curtis and the west, you will be blown away by the attention to detail and the caliber of how the story is presented. I was moved to read what happened to this man who dedicated his life to preserving a part of American history thru the people who lived here before the settlers. Curtis lost everything in this process and still worked 18-20 hours a day, purely driven by this need to document what the American west was like before it was lost forever. A must see!

Western spirit Scottsdale's museum of the West You have to be realistic about what you're getting here and it's not filled with historical artifacts of famous people of the West. In my opinion it's not really an appropriate place for families with young children and really most children unless they're older High school college age. I would call this museum more of an art museum and an art gallery. So if you have appropriate expectations that you're going to see paintings, photographs and sculptures of the West you should have an enjoyable couple hours. They have several semi permanent collections on display with the Curtis exhibit that I will mention later. I had heard that they were having an exhibit of Edward Curtis and his art. That is the reason that I went. I was not disappointed. I think his exhibit offers a good opportunity to see a lot of his photographs and understand the historical basis for Is his life's mission. He spent 10 years living closely with many different different indigenous people and I think his work really was an attempt to preserve the the beauty and dignity of Is the culture he was allowed to see and participate in. From what I have read he was much more accepted by indigenous people than academics of the time. From about 1890 on Curtis took thousands of photographs of indigenous people of the American West including Alaska. He and kept meticulous notes on what the photographs represented, as well as recordings of the language and songs of many indigenous people. His 20 volumes of Photographs are more of an anthropological study as much as photography. They have a complete display of one of his collections; there were only 300 made and I'm sure they were primarily given to major donors for his work. He was a contemporary and had support from President Theodore Roosevelt, He did some family photography for the president. as well as financial support from one of the robber barons of the day JP Morgan. I'm always glad to have public access to this kind of art exhibit. One of the other exhibits I enjoyed was an exhibit of Hopi pottery that covered over 600 years. It's something to see and enjoy, I also think It's interesting to note that Curtis haf a special relationships with the Hopi people, Navajo people and Apache people. There are some pretty cool oil paintings and sculpture interspersed throughout the museum. There's one concentrated collection of over 20 bronzes that are interesting. There's two other areas that kind of showcase saddle, spurs, Badges from Lawman and some guns of of what people in the West used, and one collection of Western and Indian movie poor poster graphics. So it's worth a visit as long as you have realistic expectations and remember to be kind to the volunteers and staff, all who are working in difficult times.

Beautiful museum in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. Easy walk to all the shops and eateries near by. The exterior structure is magnificent and the interior materials just as awe inspiring (sustainable/LEED Certified); built at cost of $11M! The ground floor welcomes you into the history of western movies (NJ, then CA and Tucson where many of the films were shot), and memorabilia. You saunter down a corridor to visit the museum gift shop, then around an internal stairwell and back to the rooms with history of the wild west (saddles, stage coach, cowboy accessories, guns, etc.) and then an interesting introduction to Native American history, pottery, etc. Upstairs is a collection of exhibits, statues, and items that are more grand in size requiring more wall space. The exhibit not to miss is Paul Calle's exhibit upstairs: https://scottsdalemuseumwest.org/project/paul-calles-life-of-exploration-from-the-mountains-to-the-moon/ Paul Calle's work is EXTRAORDINARY. He does oil on canvas, but his work is so spectacular you think he painted a character over a photograph. So vibrant, such detail. Just outstanding. Also noteworthy is the scultpure garden; the interior of the building. You may miss it if you dont see it on the first floor and venture out the unmarked doors (hint: you'll see the ground floor sculpture garden while descending from the second floor stairs while leaving the Paul Calle exhibit/studio). We ventured to the museum at noon on a Sunday and it was pleasantly not crowded. Join one of the free tours. Admission is $20/person.

What an amazing experience to visit this Western Spirit museum. I went here with a group of co-workers as a team activity and I'm so glad we did. We spend about two hours browsing through the different exhibits and artwork. Each piece is unique and tells a story. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable, and the price to get in is a steal.

I found a BOGO offer for this museum in my SRP bill, so I brought my mom and sister to come explore with me. It's a beautifully laid out museum, and it was easy to park in the free public lot next door. We were lucky to hit the Western Spirit Museum when the Barry Goldwater collection of photos was being shown. I never knew that Barry was an incredibly talented photographer whose snaps were often featured in Arizona Highways magazine. I really admire the great photos he created! I liked the first floor better than the second. The first floor had an amazing collection of all things cowboy: saddles, sheriff badges, chaps, holsters, etc. I also enjoyed the John Coleman bronzes. They were so intricate and realistic! You could also find Hopi pottery, sculptures, and other interesting items. Another thing that caught my eye was that the museum made an effort to have hands-on items that were meant for little kids to interact with. My kids are teens now, but I remember those days when you want to keep your kid engaged so you could grab a few moments to see what you wanted. The second level wasn't as captivating as the first, but maybe we were just getting tired. I know it wasn't meant to be funny, but my sister and I found humor in the Paul Calle exhibit. Painting after painting featured "Bearded Man Staring Moodily off to the Side". It got old so fast! Substitute Will Ferrell's face in the paintings and it looked like something you would see in one of his movies. Went off on a tangent there, but I would recommend the museum overall. If you've ever lived in the West most of your life (like me) or have ever been captivated by it, you'll find a lot of interesting and beautiful things to see.

In search of a place to explore in Scottsdale? Visit this gorgeous museum! I discovered this place thanks to Yelp, and brought my grandma and father to visit during the day. To sum it up, we had an insightful and overall lovely time! The staff we met were so kind upon entry it really made a difference. I loved how relaxed the atmosphere was, as we were free to roam the various rooms at our own leisure. On the first floor: Go outside! There is a small, but beautiful outside area with a few status and a painted wall that are worth looking at. Second floor: Take your time viewing the featured painter. So much of the work they have there is breathtaking. So search no further, but go forth and enjoy!

Howdy this museum is very rustic, country and modern. The exhibits are well displayed. I've been here a few times and circulate around only some of it each visit. Yesterday it was to peruse the photos by Barry Goldwater. JFK & Ansel Adams thought he was a talented photographer. I especially like the gift shop and bought a cute cowboy puzzle.

Went with a friend had an amazing time seeing the vintage pictures and artifacts. It was a way to go back in history and realize the hardships and accomplishments they had.

This place is great. I'm not sure what I was expecting but WS was ten times better. 5-Star for sure. The Warhol exhibit was very cool. The relics tell a story I have heard about, but now can see and feel. Sculptures are fine until you see they were done over a hundred years ago and are amazed by the detail. This is a don't miss if you are visiting the Phoenix area. So glad we found this place. Matt - Dallas, TX

Recently visited this newer museum in old town Scottsdale and was absolutely blown away by the architecture the museum itself , loved how the modern lines and austere environment played against the western antiquities. They have a beautiful theater that features different films to accompany the current exhibits . If you get a chance to see this museum I would highly recommend it !

Absolutely loved it here! The native art was incredible. I really enjoyed all the exhibits and the layout creatively designed. Beautiful sculptures, painting, pottery, photography and artifacts. Everything had really informative descriptions. The price was reasonable and of course, air conditioning! The gift shop was also very clever. There was a whole wall of photography and art books from the featured artists.

Stunning Museum. Make sure this is on your must-see museums for this summer. (Air-conditioned Indoor activity) very informative exhibit. Photography dating back to the early 1800s show casing native Americans of this land. Stunning. Also, the museum itself I fabulous architecture.

If you like the American West and art, you will enjoy this museum. We went on a weekend and it was fairly quiet. They have some amazing statues and a lot of western memorabilia. TIP: If you have AAA, you can get a discount. Better yet, if you have a credit card from BofA or Merrill Lynch, you can get a free admission on the first weekend of the month. Also take one of the free tours. They are informative.

I used to Phoenix Art Museum membership to get in free to this museum, and LOVED it. I am a museum person, so I love to go, but really have high standards. I couldn't have been more surprised with the diversity of exhibits and quality of it all. Great for kids and adults. Gorgeous building architecture and sculpture garden. Really helps educate you about the history of the area. Love it!

This museum is considered one of the best of the West for a reason : it simply has outstanding exhibits on a consistent basis Their current exhibits with Maynard Dixon as the focal point are a typical example Even if western art isn't your favorite form, you'll love what they have here One comes away with such a better understanding of the history of the west in so many facets by a trip here The displays are very well lit and the placards ate easily readable, even for aging eyes If you're in the Scottsdale area, don't miss a chance to visit - even and hour or two is well worth it !!

The 5-stars is owed entirely to Wade Webber, who took the time to explain in depth the works of western artist Maynard Dickson. In addition, the artwork displayed shows the raw beauty of the Wild West. Truly a great find.

This is by far my favorite art museum in Arizona. I've been here a few times with friends and family, and I just love the quality and spirit of the art. Coming from another country, I didn't know much about the history of the Old West, and this museum helped me increase my respect and appreciation for those extraordinary people that braved a very different world from our own.

Collection is a bit of a mixed bag, depending on your taste and engagement with history. I suppose you could say it is a Museum of the Portrayal of the American West, which means a lot of corny imagery of men "taming the frontier." The section on Kit Carson in particular really needs to go, or be rewritten to be more grounded in reality. Other items and exhibits attempt gamely to represent the Indigenous cultures displaced and destroyed by settler colonists. They probably have to walk a very fine line here, being both a city museum and Smithsonian affiliate. It's a beautiful building and nice enough place overall - you can tell they're trying. Look forward to seeing how it evolves. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area but if you come away seeking a deeper and richer experience, try the Heard Museum in Phoenix.

My experience of this gem in Scottsdale was outstanding. The art, artifacts, pottery, and dress helped give me an insight into the various Native Indian subcultures. The American experience can not be appreciated except to understand those that came before and were displaced by our current world. Edward Curtis reminded me of a harbinger of Ken Burns as he chronicled the various tribes, their lives, and their migrations, mostly induced by outside forces. This outstanding collection and excellent presentation expanded my trivial and superficial understanding of the development of the southwest.

Prior to starting my tour, I was really looking forward to an honest exploration of Western culture. Sadly, my docent used the tour as an opportunity to push his ideological agenda on the visitors and to repeatedly comment on contemporary politics. His comments on contemporary politics became very tiresome very quickly. He complained about contemporary politicians, complained about contemporary issues, and decided to make jokes about people who don't support his party. If you didn't belong to his party, you were made to feel unwelcome. I came to learn about the West and escape the politics of today. Instead, I didn't learn much and I was forced to deal with the same talking points my uncle's fight about during Thanksgiving. This was not an enjoyable experience. I wouldn't recommend visiting this museum.

Nice, clean ,helpful staff- cool rooms. Like cowgirl things. Been here a few times. Like this place. Usually not museum fan. This place is great.

During a recent visit to Scottsdale, I ended up here quite by accident as I entered a museum in the GPS, and this was the recommended heading - happy I went off course, as this is an amazing place! The outside of the building itself is beautiful, with a building that's modern yet oozes dessert, and the landscaping includes statues, artwork, and gardens. I did a thorough walk around before heading inside, and I was already hooked. The interior is just as amazing, with a large bronze casting greeting visitors, and wagon wheels overhead showing the way to the galleries. Off the entrance way, large tapestries hang (reproductions of paintings) and a fascinating horse sculpture adorn the wall. There are galleries dedicated to many topics and themes. Some of these galleries are: the Maynard Dixon's American West (through Oct 2020); Paul Calle's Life of Exploration: From the Mountains to the Moon; Of Spirit and Flame: John Coleman Bronzes from the Collection of Frankie and Howard Alper; Canvas of Clay: Hopi Pottery Masterworks from The Allan and Judith Cooke Collection; Courage and Crossroads: A Visual Journey through the Early American West; and The Abe Hays Family Spirit of the West Collection. Other galleries include paintings, sculptures, historical and cultural displays and so much more! The quality of the exhibits is amazing, the displays numerous and beautiful. An interior courtyard displays more sculptures, many of them life-sized. When you are down thoroughly exploring both floors of exhibits, there is a good sized and well stocked gift shop which offers some momentos of your visit. On the way out from the gift shop toward the entrance, I found yet another great display - the photographs by Barry M. Goldwater: The Arizona Highways Collection. This collection of photographs showcase an amazing photographer, and glimpses of his personal and public life. An unexpected pleasure, I was delayed leaving so I could soak in this wonderful history. This place is amazing on so many levels. Don't let a happenstance error be the reason you visit - put it on your "must-do" list for your next visit to Scottsdale.

This muesuem exceeded my expectations. Which is nice. The tour started out with an exhibit of a number of artist from the Santa Fe/Taos area. There six to seven paintings from each with a number of fantastic paintings. Also, on the first floor were numerous exhibits from the old west, including displays of guns, saddles, gambling and even handcuffs! As great as the paintings downstairs were, I liked the exhibits upstairs even more. In addition to more great paintings, they had a number of Indian exhibits that I found fascinating. Including a buffalo robe and blankets with a detailed explanation of the meaning of the design. However, my favorite display was a tomahawk/pipe given to Lewis, as in Lewis & Clark fame, during their epic journey! Cool

This was an amazing stop in Scottsdale. The collection is top-quality and well curated. Anyone with an appreciation of the west and how America was built will appreciate this museum. Thank you.

What a beautiful place! It's no wonder my clients wanted to get married here! Thank you to the staff for making this day run so smoothly for the bride and groom. I wouldn't have been able to capture their special wedding day if it wasn't for them.

If you go, do a Docen guided tour. They will give you very interesting stories behind the items you are viewing. There were 3 Docen tours the afternoon we visited. We enjoyed the museum, but for us it was a 1 and done experience. No need to go back

Well worth the time, take the guided tour. We will return when visiting the Scottsdale area.

I had no idea this museum existed until yesterday! This is an amazing museum, so beautiful and our tour guide Wade was so engaging and interesting. The show right now on Edward S. Curtis is not to be missed! I plan on attending the Live Theatre Performance and walking through again. What a great idea to make history come alive. Be sure you check out this museum. You will not be disappointed!

This was a very good museum. A lot of collections as well as Lewis & Clark possession and Kit Carson possessions. I was feeling very ill that day because of kidney failure and fortunately there were elevators and benches I could sit down on to rest. I didn't want to miss their great exhibits. I highly recommend for a visit. The museums that come to mind as comparisons are the Buffalo Bill Museum and Bashes in Chandler.

Amazing collection of western paintings, pottery, saddles, and other things! I'm not really into anything western, but my husband is...we both enjoyed this place a lot.

I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Scottsdale's Museum of the West and I'm so happy they finally opened! Thanks to Parada Del Sol, we got to visit the museum free of admission on the day of the parade which was a very nice perk! This is a truly beautiful museum and done to perfection. Everything from the architecture and structure to the pieces on display and decor are done flawlessly. It's quite obvious that the designers put a lot of time and thought into this museum. For the theme of the museum, I would say that it's more of a mix of Native American culture as well as Western influence because half of the museum is Native American Art. The other half of the museum has western artifacts which are fun to look at. I hope they add more interactive elements to the museum at some point because as of now, it's not very kid-friendly in the sense that your kids would necessarily enjoy it. However, they also have a movie theater where they play films. It's a beautiful complex and worth visiting.

$15 adult tickets, this museum is worth the trip. Free underground parking behind the museum makes it a great spot to visit and an easy walk to great restaurants. If you don't have much time to see Scottsdale, this would be the starting point.