February 2, 2018
Greetings from the Museum’s Exhibits Department! Another great year is upon us and with the close of Native Realities: 21st Century Western Self-Identity, we are transitioning our galleries to bring you a brand-new story slate for the Daddy of ‘Em All. We have many projects underway and are busy exploring our collections for never-before-seen artifacts to incorporate into the annual update of our Cheyenne Frontier Days exhibit. We are excited for the many projects that will grace our galleries in 2018 including the installation of a new exhibit entitled, The Lensmen Project: Cowboy Up, in addition to an investigation of the Daddy’s history with specialty exhibits on the Denver Post Train & Union Pacific at Cheyenne Frontier Days, and the story of founding our beloved Museum as we look to celebrate our 40th year!
Join us for the most personal view of the rodeo from the comfort of one of the most beautiful museums, The Lensmen Project: Cowboy Up. Featuring the photography of Ronnie Dunn, from the highest peaks of country and western music stardom, and Ron Modra, celebrated and world-renowned Sports Illustrated photographer; this show has it all. These two men know how to capture and illustrate the passion and presence of life on an epic scale, and this show is no exception.
The Lensmen Project—from which the exhibit takes its name—is a component of a larger project: an assembly of the world’s most elite photographers spearheaded by Ronnie Dunn. Each of these photographers carry their own style, presence, and eye for detail. For 2018, the Museum is proud to feature an exhibit on the works of Ronnie Dunn and Ron Modra, which is the first Museum presentation for the project and will bring you, the visitor, close up and personal with the most exhilarating moments in rodeo today.
In 2017, these photographers came to Cheyenne Frontier Days to experience the sensation and excitement of the “Daddy of ‘Em All,” and the Daddy didn’t disappoint! Riding the thrills, chills, and spills of the hottest action in rodeo from the famous CFD Press Bunker, these daring artists reached out and seized the power and beauty of the best buckers. There is perhaps no finer look into the soul of rodeo action than these exquisitely rendered photographs. Ronnie Dunn put it best when he said, “If a shot’s not exciting, you aren’t close enough!”
Our updates to the Cheyenne Frontier Days history galleries are currently underway; each year we endeavor to capture the past and bring you an ever-deepening understanding of this event. A glimpse of past glories and trials with first-hand material culture will shed light on several new aspects of CFD history from the events earliest inception in 1897 to where we are today. This year, riding the rails of history and exploring the rise, fall, and reemergence of the decades-long Denver Post Train as well as the seminal involvement of the Union Pacific Railroad and their integration into one of the West’s greatest events are centerpieces of the exhibit updates. At the heart of this is a truly unique and spectacular testament to this history: the beautiful UP stained-glass window from the Museum’s collection will once again grace our galleries.
Celebrate another major milestone for the Museum—it’s our 40th Anniversary! A fresh gallery complement will demonstrate the contributions of many of Cheyenne’s finest as they fought, struggled, and persevered to build the institution responsible for safeguarding and educating the world on the heritage of Cheyenne Frontier Days: our Old West Museum.
The Museum’s galleries will truly be the place to be in 2018. If you are looking for the hottest ticket in town, this is it!
