FRI DEC 10, 11 A.M. | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center | Free Bob Boze Bell Bob will share his knowledge and insights on Geronimo, the famous Apache leader and other notable Arizona figures that helped shape the story of the American West. Free and open to the public. His books will be available for purchase […]
Bill Anton captures the American West, but not as biographer. The passion, mystery and grand wilderness that boldly confronts the senses is the West Anton paints. His subject is the West’s caretaker, the cowboy. Anton tells stories with a stroke of his brush, stories of long days, hard work, and the power of man and beast set against […]
Kids (school age children currently K-12) will create a collaborative, 3-dimensional art exhibition using paper, paint, scissors, ink, and creativity! Each student will create up to 3 drawings that will be cut-out and combined with others to make one large display. Projects will be taken home at the end of the second day. Free, 1 – 4 p.m. Call (928) […]
Working scale model trains. On view through January 2, 2022 in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center
Join us for family fun in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the museum grounds. Great for all ages. Take-and-make art home crafts are available.
This January 7-9, join the Museum, Ranch Dressing and the Museum Store for the “The Artistry of Oaxaca and Mata Ortiz” Trunk Show in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center. Visit with master artist Oralia Lopez and Mariela Tena as they display their Mata Ortiz pottery. There will be demonstrations with master textile artist Porfirio Gutierrez and master […]
Desert Caballeros Western Museum established the heART of the West Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 to pay tribute to people who reflect the unbridled creativity and history of the American West. The heART of the West honorees inspire others while shaping the West's cultural legacy. Join us for a night of celebration! The evening includes […]
Interested in Arizona history and the great outdoors? Our Desert Adventure Tours start Monday, January 17! Join historian Joe Stevens as we explore ghost towns around the Wickenburg area. The tour will begin at the Museum at 9 a.m. for a brief orientation. Stops on the tour will include Octave, Stanton, the Old Congress town […]
Join us for “Dude Ranch Tales” this Friday, January 21 at 11 a.m. in the CCLC with historian and author Lyn Downey. Downey is a member of the Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, PEN/America, the California Historical Society, the Society of California Archivists, and the Arizona Historical Society. Her debut novel is […]
Join us for a special morning with award-winning artist Bill Anton. Bill will take you through his exhibition and share personal stories and insights about his process. This is not to be missed! Free with museum admission. Bill Anton Lecture | Thurs Jan 27 | 11 a.m. | Main Gallery
Lecture: Dr. Eduardo Pagán, The Curious and Complicated Contours of Race and Society in Wickenburg and the Arizona Territory Call 928.684.2272 for Zoom reservations or come to the museum on February 10, starting at 11 a.m. Lecture will be in the Learning Center. $10 in person or free with museum admission. $10 for Zoom. Free […]
Lecture: Sandy Sunseri and Chris Glenn, Chilis and Chocolate Call 928.684.2272 for Zoom reservations or come to the museum on February 14 starting at 11 a.m. Lecture will be in the Learning Center. $10 in person or free with museum admission. $10 for Zoom. Free for members.
Get nostalgic with a tour of Wickenburg’s famous guest ranches. The tour is led by master docent Joe Stevens and will stop at historic ranches, which may include the Hassayampa River Preserve, Simpson Ranch, Remuda Ranch, Monte Vista Ranch, Kay El Bar Ranch, Flying E Ranch, and Rancho de los Caballeros. Lunch at Rancho de […]
March 4 @ 10:00 am - 1:30 pm Family Friday celebrates a new theme each week. Join us for family fun in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the museum grounds. Several stations with hands-on activities will be available. Free with paid museum admission. Free for DCWM members. Free for kids 17 and under.
Don’t miss the Apache film panel discussion in the Museum’s Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on Thursday, March 10, 10:30 am – 12 noon. Join Dr. Eduardo Pagán with special guests Marshall Shore, Arizona’s Hip Historian, and film expert Jim Swift. The panel will show clips from different Western films and talk about representations of the […]
Cost: $75 members/$100 non-members Join master docent Joe Stevens as we make visits to Sayer Station, Town of Constellation, Gold Bar, and Monte Cristo. Lunch provided. Very rough terrain requires sturdy shoes and physical ability. Be prepared for moderate walking. Transportation can be provided. If attendees prefer to drive themselves, they can follow in their […]
An Exclusive Tour for DCWM Sustaining Circles Members! Join us with Dick Fredrickson for a botanical tour* near Poquette Tank and Vulture Peak. Meet at Los Caballeros Corrals at 8:30am for self-drive to the Vulture Peak area, an approximate 10-minute drive. Refreshments included! *we will walk through desert terrain, please wear closed-toe comfortable shoes and clothing. RSVP […]
Get ready for a full weekend of exciting and engaging events! Weekend Schedule: Opening Weekend Package Ticket to attend ALL opening weekend events, including: Exhibition Previews, Patrons Party, Lecture, Awards Dinner, Live Auctions, Chuck Wagon Breakfast, and more. $275.00 per person. Main Exhibition Preview and Miniatures Sale Preview Friday, March 25 – 2:00 – 3:00 […]
Family Friday this Friday, April 1 celebrates the opening of the 17th Annual "Cowgirl Up!" Exhibition and Sale. Bring the family to join us in a visual scavenger hunt through the exhibition and get creative by designing your own "Cowgirl Up!" boot. The fun starts in the main museum on 21 N Frontier St. Activities […]
Bruce of Ben's Saddlery in Wickenburg, AZ has built 400 saddles in 39 years, and he estimates with Ben’s saddles, they turned out about 570. The number of repairs to saddles, bridles, and other tack over the years is immeasurable. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the store produced truckloads of buck-stitched belts with names stamped […]
Wednesday April 13, 11 a.m. Lecture with Dr. Eduardo Pagán, America’s Longest War: The Apache Wars, 1849-1924 America’s involvement in Afghanistan is often referred to as America’s longest war, but the Apache Wars between Americans and Apaches lasted from 1849 and 1886, with some hostilities continuing until 1924. This presentation will cover how one Apache […]
Join us for a progressive wine and hors d’oeuvres shopping experience! Thursday, April 14 | 5:30-7 p.m. exclusively for all DCWM members! Start at the Main Museum for wine and savory appetizers while you shop and view the Cowgirl Up! exhibition in the galleries, then enjoy delicious desserts in the Museum’s Ranch Dressing store. Members […]
This event is presented by the Scottsdale Artists' School. Please register here. Join Linda at the Desert Caballeros Museum as she teaches a two-day workshop where students will paint a landscape in the museum learning center using photographs supplied by the instructor. The goal will be to create simple designs that have a strong foundation. […]
The Desert Caballeros Western Museum is pleased to again host the Congressional Arts Competition for Arizona’s 4th Congressional District. An exhibition of artworks from the Competition will be on view in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center from the afternoon of Monday, April 25 through the awards ceremony on the morning of Saturday, April 30. Since 1982, […]
Cultural Crossroads Learning Center Engage your mind and your hands during our card-making activity for the whole family. Express your creativity and share your feelings for the people you love. Family Friday celebrates a new theme each first Friday of the month. Join us for family fun in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the […]
May 18 we will be marking International Museum Day, 2022. The theme this year is “The Power of Museums”. According to a statement published on the International Council of Museums website, “Museums have the power to transform the world around us. As incomparable places of discovery, they teach us about our past and open our […]
The Museum will roll out the welcome mat to active-duty military and their families by offering free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves, and their families as part of the Blue Star Museums program. The Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, […]
Award-winning "Cowgirl Up!" artist, V.... Vaughan will demonstrate her way to “Grasp a Glance”. V.... says, "It is how I begin ALL MY ART. Then I decide whether to continue in color to turn my glance into a painting, or to leave it." Don’t miss this exclusive demonstration in the Museum's Learning Center on Thursday, […]
The museum and museum stores will be closed to observe Memorial Day. We will re-open on Tuesday at 10 A.M. Summer hours will be in effect from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Sept. 5. Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays: New […]
In June we will have a sunflower planting activity. Plant the seeds and take them home in a personal bio-friendly planter. Family Friday celebrates a new theme each first Friday of the month from October through June. Held in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the museum grounds. Free with paid museum admission. Free for […]
Museum and Museum Stores are closed.
National Day of the Cowboy, on the fourth Saturday in July — falling on July 23, this year — is here to prove to us that cowboy culture, despite the misconception that it has faded away over the years and been beaten down by the Information Age, is alive and well. The museum will have […]
West of Center: Highlights from the Wickenburg Art Club Opening Reception on July 29 from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. Free to the public. On view from July 30, 2022 - September 25, 2022 West of Center will be on exhibit this summer at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. The exhibition and art sale will […]
Learn about some of our native Arizona wildlife in this hands-on demonstration with actual desert wildlife (animals used for interactions are non-venomous and are proven education animals). Starts at 11 A.M. at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum's Learning Center. Free with Museum admission. Free for kids 17 and under and free for members. This program gives guests […]
Every first Friday of the month we host arts and crafts activities in the "make and take" tradition. Great for kids 3-83 , home-school children, Wickenburg residents and the surrounding community. Usually held in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the museum grounds and is planned by our Education staff. Free with paid museum admission. […]
In conjunction with our Barry M. Goldwater Photography exhibition, we are pleased to invite you to a FREE documentary movie screening of “Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater” (2006). Join us and scheduled guest, C.C. Goldwater, at the historic Saguaro Theater on 176 East Wickenburg Way. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Movie starts at 11 a.m. Friday, […]
Members' Appreciation Weekend Starts Friday! October 14-16 is Members Appreciation weekend at the Museum, with a special members’ reception Friday October 14, 5:30-7:00 p.m. including a raffle drawing for a basket of Museum gifts! Receive extra discounts in the Museum store and Ranch Dressing all weekend long! Sign-up online, or call (928) 684-2272, or you can always stop by the museum […]
Sketching in the Gallery with Artist Rick McGill For all levels. A great way to dip your toes into the world of art. More advanced artists can get great tips on technique from a professional artist with decades of experience. Basic supplies available. Feel free to bring your own. Free with paid museum admission. Free […]
Arizona Mythical Creatures Are they for real? In the spring of 1890, the Tombstone Epitaph published a very unusual report. Two ranchers in the Huachuca Mountains shot and killed a “winged monster, resembling a huge alligator with an extremely elongated tail and an immense pair of wings.” Did they kill one of the last surviving […]
Time and details for the reception to be confirmed. “Mexican Folk Art: Artesanía del Pueblo”, open to the public October 29, 2022 – October 1, 2023. Artesanía del Pueblo: Mexican Folk Art is a journey into diverse, colorful art from various regions of Mexico. Items are made for utilitarian or decorative purposes or created for […]
Free performance Saturday, October 29 featuring Wickenburg's own Danza Azteca (pictured). Come help us celebrate the opening of "Mexican Folk Art". 11 to 11:15 Welcome and opening remarks, Museum front porch (21 N Frontier St), Executive Director, Dan Finley 11:15 to 11:45 Danza Azteca of Wickenburg, on Frontier Street in front of the museum. **Free […]
A Party to Support Outdoor Youth Education at Boyd Ranch on October 30, 2022 at 4 p.m. Enjoy a catered dinner under the Arizona stars, and a live auction with the infamous dessert auction. Proceeds support educational programming at Boyd Ranch, an outdoor educational center owned and operated by the Desert Caballeros Western Museum. Boyd Ranch […]
Tuesday Nov 1 | 11 a.m. Spanish speaking tour of “Mexican Folk Art” led by Jackie Pacheco Hancock. Free with paid admission. See our newest exhibition featuring stunning examples of Mexican folk and gain insights on the origins of some of the imagery and styles. To be held in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center. […]
Every first Friday of the month we host arts and crafts activities in the "make and take" tradition. Great for kids 3-83 , home-school children, Wickenburg residents and the surrounding community. This week the activities will be inspired by our newest exhibition, "Mexican Folk Art". Usually held in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center on the […]
Las Senoras de Socorro, Auxiliary of the Desert Caballeros Western Museum is hosting a Cactus Garden Tour of residential gardens in the Wickenburg area. The open air tour will showcase cactus gardens of homes located in Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg Country Club Acres and Wickenburg Ranch. Date: Saturday, November 5, 2022 Time: 9 a.m. […]
Tickets Available The Day Of Tour! if you would like to purchase tickets in person, they will be available the day of the event at the Wickenburg Community Center during the Holiday Market. 160 N Valentine Street. Look for the flags on the stage for ticket desk. If you would like to go directly to […]
December 21, 2022 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Desert Caballeros Western Museum Fire. Founded in 1960 as a private non-profit institution by Morton Bodfish, Roy Coxwell, H. K. “Mac” MacLennan, Katherine McCrady, and William Weeks, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum took its name from the famous men's trail ride that originated in Wickenburg, Arizona […]
Free admission into the DCWM for all Veterans. Thank you for your service!
Sketching in the Gallery with Artist Rick McGill For all levels. A great way to dip your toes into the world of art. More advanced artists can get great tips on technique from a professional artist with decades of experience. Basic supplies available. Feel free to bring your own. Free with paid museum admission. Free […]
Dude ranches got started in the 1880s as rustic places for men to stay when they came out West from England and the east coast for hunting trips. By the early 20th century dude ranching had become a thriving business, which needed women to keep it going. Women ran ranches with their husbands, or opened […]
Working scale model trains. On view through January 8, 2023 in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center
We wish you all a happy and safe holiday. We open back up on Friday at 10 a.m.
Kickstart your holiday shopping with Black Friday specials on clothing, home decor, books, and more at Ranch Dressing and the Museum Store from 10 am - 5 pm.
The holiday shopping continues at Ranch Dressing and the Museum Store for Small Business Saturday. #ShopLocal at your favorite local Museum stores for specials on clothing, gifts, home decor, books, and more from 10 am to 5 pm.
On Sunday, November 27, 2022, Ranch Dressing and the Museum Store at Desert Caballeros Western Museum join more than 1,800 Museum Stores around the world to offer relaxing, inspired shopping inside your favorite museums and cultural institutions. #MuseumStoreSunday offers a special shopping experience in one-of-a kind stores, showcasing broad assortments of highly curated, unique, mission-specific […]
On Sunday, November 27, 2022, Ranch Dressing and the Museum Store at Desert Caballeros Western Museum join more than 1,800 Museum Stores representing all fifty states, 24 countries, and five continents to offer relaxing, inspired shopping inside your favorite museums and cultural institutions. #MuseumStoreSunday offers a special shopping experience in one-of-a kind stores, showcasing broad […]
Details to come. Wednesday, November 30th from 11 am-12:30 pm in CCLC
Need a (free) creative activity for the kids in your life? Join us for BearCat Family Friday presented by the Etnyre Foundation on the first Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy themed art-making activities for the whole family in a museum setting lead by the DCWM education team. Practice your […]
In conjunction with our “Mexican Folk Art” exhibition we invite you to “Nuestra Virgin de Guadalupe”, a lecture with Dr. Eduardo Pagán. The Virgin of Guadalupe is an ubiquitous symbol throughout Latin America and in the United States. Drawing on history, anthropology, and religion, this presentation will explore the ways in which the native worldview inspires this dynamic […]
Don’t miss Bob Boze Bell and Jana Bommersbach’s lecture and book signing at the Museum’s Cultural Crossroads Learning Center at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 13. They will be here to talk about their new book, “Hellraisers and Trailblazers – The Real Women of the Wild West”, a book that was three years in the making. Bommersbach explains that […]
Dip your toes into the world of art with us! Try your hand at sketching in the Museum galleries with professional Western artist with Rick McGill, owner of McGill Gallery and School of Art. More advanced artists can get great tips on technique from a professional artist with decades of experience. Open to all levels. Basic […]
Concurrently with Joni Falk’s exhibition we will be showing the work of Native American sculptor Doug Hyde. Hyde was born in Oregon and is of Assiniboine, Nez Perce, and Chippewa heritage. He attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, where he learned from acclaimed Apache sculptor Alan Houser. He briefly attended the […]
December 17, 2022 — March 5, 2023 The Museum is pleased to present the exhibition Joni Falk: A Painter’s Western Vision, from December 17, 2022, through March 5, 2023. A realist painter of Western still-lifes and landscapes, Joni has lived in Phoenix, Arizona since 1960. She grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of […]
Saturday, December 24 | 1:30 p.m. Museum and Stores close early. Have a Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Kids’ Holiday Workshop in the CCLC, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. $5 for kids. We will be making: Miniature felt moccasins, sand paintings inspired by Navajo art, but choosing their own subject and a camel mosaic inspired by Beale Trail Recommended ages 8-12, must be able to use scissors and embroidery needle. There will be 20 spots for this […]
Happy New Year!
Need a (free) creative activity for the kids in your life? Join us for BearCat Family Friday presented by the Etnyre Foundation on the first Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy themed art-making activities for the whole family in a museum setting lead by the DCWM education team. Practice your […]
