Western Spirit Introduces ‘The Cool Frontier’ Summer 2024 Programs

Get ready to have a “cool” summer at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. The popular museum, which showcases Western and Native American art and artifacts, entertaining events, and informative programs that bring the West’s heritage, culture, and community to life, just revealed its 2024 summer programming. Titled “Western Spirit: The Cool Frontier,” they are designed to immerse visitors in the rich history and culture of the American West via classic movies, artist demonstrations, and an exhibit on Western film history. As a Blue Star Museum, military families also receive free admission through Sept. 2.

Here’s what’s on happening.

Western Movies

The movies, which are free for museum members, $8 each, or free with paid museum admission, are all iconic Western films. Screenings are every Thursday and Sunday from June through August, beginning at 2 p.m. June’s movies include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tombstone, The Searchers, Unforgiven, 3:10 to Yuma, The Magnificent Seven, True Grit, Open Range, and Once Upon a Time in the West. A full schedule can be found here.

Artist Tuesdays

Every Tuesday from June to August, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., watch local artists at work, creating their newest masterpieces. The planned schedule of artists is currently:

• June 4, 11, 18, and 25: Jerry Salinas, Milly Guthrie, & Anton Nowels
• July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30: Kathy Howard
• July 30, Aug. 6: Ashwini Bharathula
• August 13, 20, and 27: Dustin Klassen
• August 6, 13, 20, and 27: Timothy Rees & Mike Garcia

Exhibit: The Dr. Rennard Strickland Collection of Western Film History 

Also on display for summer is The Dr. Rennard Strickland Collection of Western Film History, which coincides with the summer Western movies. The exhibit showcases 16 Western movie posters, lobby cards, and advertisements from around the world from Dr. Strickland’s renowned larger collection. This exhibit is presented within the Virginia G. Piper Auditorium and pays tribute to Dr. Strickland’s dedication to preserving Western film history.

Western Spirit’s other special exhibitions are Waking Dream: Works by Navajo Artist Melanie Yazzie, through July 14; Inner Light: The Art of Tom Gilleon, through August; William Matthews: Decades, through October; Kids in Focus: Focus on Western Spirit by local youth through August; and “Dazzling Array: The Richard A. Gates Collection of Native American Jewelry,” currently on display. Permanent exhibitions continuously on display include Canvas of Clay: Hopi Pottery Masterworks from The Allan and Judith Cooke Collection, featuring 65 of the finest examples of Hopi pottery spanning six centuries; the Frankie and Howard Alper Collection of John Coleman Bronzes; and The Abe Hays Family Spirit of the West Collection, a showcase of more than 1,400 saddles, spurs, cowboy gear, and other Old West objects.

3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251