The Building

Situated on a dramatic cliff overlooking the National Elk Refuge, the National Museum of Wildlife Art appears to emerge from the earth like a natural outcropping of rock. The Museum’s location provides a rare opportunity to view wildlife in its natural habitat, as does the artwork that pays tribute to it.

Designed by C.W. Fentress, J.H. Bradburn and Associates of Denver, Colorado and constructed of Idaho Quartzite, the building was inspired by the ruins of Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The structure blends seamlessly into the native terrain of Jackson, Wyoming, and reflects the area’s natural beauty. The resulting 51,000 square-foot building is original, contextually relevant, and timeless.

Sculpture Trail

The Sculpture Trail designed by award-winning landscape architect, Walter Hood, is the Museum’s newest outdoor art venue.  Hood’s three-quarter-mile design places sculpture against a striking Gros Ventre Mountain Range backdrop, overlooking the National Elk Refuge and includes a naturally sheltered amphitheater near the museum entrance for programs and presentations. Over time the Trail will feature over thirty permanent and temporary works of art beautifully integrated into the landscape.

The Trail branches into several meandering footpaths with bridges and staircases giving access to new vantage points and views across our hillside terrain. For easy biker and hiker access, the Sculpture Trail connects (via an underpass) to the recently constructed Jackson-to-Grand Teton National Park pathway.

History

In 1984, 10 founding trustees chose Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with its abundant wildlife, beautiful mountain setting, and high tourism, as a unique and appropriate setting for an art museum focused on images of wildlife. The original museum opened as Wildlife of the American West Art Museum on May 16, 1987 on Jackson’s Town Square.

By 1992, the National Museum of Wildlife Art had outgrown its three-gallery, 5,000 square-foot storefront. A capital campaign was launched to raise $10 million for a new facility and $2 million for an operating endowment. In September 1994, the Museum opened its new facility, a 51,000 square-foot state-of-the-art building that allowed for expanded exhibition space, museum programs, and educational programming.

Representing the culmination of a lifetime of study and collection of wildlife art by Joffa and Bill Kerr who, over a 30-year period, developed a collection of wildlife art unsurpassed in the United States, the Museum is comprised of 14 distinctive galleries, Sculpture Trail, Museum Shop, Rising Sage Café, Children’s Discovery Gallery, Library, and administrative space.

The Museum’s permanent collection of over 5,000 cataloged items includes paintings, sculpture, and works on paper by over 100 distinguished artists ranging from early American Tribes through contemporary masters. The Museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions are augmented with innovative educational and scholarly programs emphasizing art appreciation, art history, natural science, creative writing, and American history.

The Museum has become an important educational center and meeting place for the Jackson Hole region. In 1994, the National Museum of Wildlife Art received the Wyoming Humanities Award for exemplary efforts in fostering the humanities in Wyoming. In 2010 the Museum received designation as the “National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States” by order of Congress, and in 2012 the new three-quarter-mile Sculpture Trail designed by award-winning landscape architect, Walter Hood was completed. More than 80,000 people visit every year, and over 10,000 children visit the Museum each year, often as part of their school curricula.