A life-size
bronze of Gene Autry welcomes visitors into the courtyard |
An Afternoon
at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage
LOS ANGELES,
CALIFORNIA—
It would
be easy to say that a trip to the Autry Museum of Western Heritage is
a step into the past, but it's really much more than that. The Autry,
founded in 1988 with major support from the Autry Foundation, is dedicated
to acquiring, preserving, and interpreting art, artifacts and written
materials that document the history of the American West.
The
guitar, saddle, hat and shirt of the most famous cowboy crooner
of all |
Fortunately
for all of us, the museum's directors do not consider Western history
a closed book, but rather something still in the making. The Museum's
ever-expanding collection includes works by contemporary artists as well
as yesterday's greats. In addition, one of the museum's purposes is to
collect and study material relating to the fictional West of literature,
art, film, television, and even advertising.
What does
all this mean when you step inside the museum's dramatic courtyard? First
off, you're greeted by a life-size bronze sculpture of Gene Autry called
"Back in the Saddle Again."
But don't
get the idea that the collection inside revolves around Gene Autry. While
the world's most famous cowboy crooner made it all possible, the museum
is in no way a vanity project. Only one small case in a gallery dedicated
to cowboys of fiction and film holds Autry memorabilia, although his personal
collection of Western art formed the core of the museum's holdings.
We wandered
through the Autry's seven galleries, enjoying spectacular displays designed
by Disney "Imagineers," and noting how many groups of school
children were enthralled by them, too. We weren't surprised to find out
later that the Autry is the most-requested field trip destination among
Los Angeles teachers.
We wound
up our tour with a visit to the museum store, which offers a great selection
of Western art, jewelry and music. The day was unseasonably hot, so we
stepped into the Golden Spur cafe for a cold drink before getting "back
in the saddle again."
Autry Museum
of Western Heritage
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
(213) 667-2000
www.autry-museum.org
|
