Autry Museum of the American West, Native American cultural museum in Los Angeles, United States
The Autry Museum is an institution in Griffith Park dedicated to art and history of the American West. It displays paintings, firearms, textiles, musical instruments, and archaeological objects that show how diverse groups lived and worked in this region.
Gene Autry founded it in 1988 as the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum, with Joanne Hale as its first director; she led it from concept to a 148,000-square-foot building with seven galleries. It was called the Autry National Center of the American West from 2004 to 2015, when it took its present name. The Southwest Museum of the American Indian was acquired in 2003, and the Women of the West Museum of Colorado merged with it in 2002.
The theater inside presents new plays written by Native American and Alaska Native artists, bringing contemporary voices to the stage. These works offer perspectives often missing from mainstream storytelling about the West.
The museum sits within Griffith Park and is open on weekdays during daytime hours for browsing. Weekend hours are extended, and staff offer guided tours to help visitors navigate the collections and learn more about the displays.
In 2002, the Women of the West Museum of Colorado merged with the Autry, widening its scholarly and educational focus to gender issues and women's experiences in the American West. The museum also holds the International Gay Rodeo Association archives, received in 2010.
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