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Summer Museum Travel: Cowboys and Presidents

June 26, 2008 at 11:00 AM | 1 Comment

With plenty of hip museums in and around LA, the Museum of the American West in Griffith Park is not usually high on the itinerary. Essentially a shrine to cowboy culture, the museum's drab permanent exhibits are far less interesting than the aging Will Rogers wannabes who show up dressed in full Western gear, right down to the boots and spurs.

But this year's election-themed special exhibit is worth a trip for both Wild West lovers and political junkies. The exhibit traces how the cowboy image has shaped US electoral politics, from Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders to George W. Bush and his brush clearing in Crawford. Visitors are left with the realization that you can't get to the White House without having at least a little John Wayne in you--hence Cowboy Obama, above).

Cowboys and Presidents is on display at the Museum of the American West through September 7, before heading off on a national tour.

Related Stories:
· Cowboys and Presidents [Official Site]
· National Cowboy Museum is a Hoot [Jaunted]

[Photo: throwthedamnthing]

Rodeo Travel: Cowboys in the Bayou

April 17, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 0 Comments

This weekend marks the first Angola Prison Rodeo of 2008. And this isn't your average bull and bronco show: All the cowboys are inmates.

The Louisiana State Penitentiary sits 55 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, and it hosts the rodeo twice a year. It gives prisoners--many serving life--a chance to break the monotony of their sentences. The first rodeo was held back in 1965, and now the event draws close to 10,000 people.

The rodeo's even inspired a documentary called "Six Seconds of Freedom." The trailer is after the jump.

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National Cowboy Museum is a Hoot

September 11, 2006 at 10:20 AM | 0 Comments


If you love watching Westerns, or are just into boots and hats, we have to recommend the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Located right in Oklahoma City, you'll find one of the most impressive collections of Frederic Remington sculptures in the country here, as well as tons of Native American Art, and of course a Fine Arms exhibit, featuring all the guns you dreamed about as a kid watching cartoons.

Don't miss the stunning End of the Trail: and 18-foot sculpture in the museum's entranceway, which it rescued from severe deterioration from a CA city park. Stroll the 18-acre grounds and check out the region-specific flower beds and fountains.

Plan to go the weekend of Oct 20-22, and you'll be there for the Rodeo Historical Society's Induction and Honors ceremony. It doesn't get much more cowboy than that.

[Image via nalilo/Flickr]