DCWM Cowgirl Up! Exhibit

Memorial Day, Museum and Stores Closed for the Holiday
2024-05-27
Monday May 27 | Closed
Memorial Day, Museum and Stores Closed for the Holiday
Photo © Wayne Norton

Memorial Day Weekend— Free admission for U.S. Veterans & one guest
2024-05-26 - 2024-05-27 | DCWM, 21 N Frontier Street, Wickenburg, 85390, United States
Saturday-Sunday May 25-26
Museum Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Memorial Day weekend—Veterans and one guest are free. We thank you for your service!

Kid's Photography Exhibition
2024-05-25 - 2024-07-21 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
“Kids with Cameras” a student photo exhibition
On view Saturday May 25 through Saturday July 21,2024.
In the Crossroads Cultural Learning Center (CCLC). Call 928.684.2272 for viewing hours.
Pictured: Kamerin Earls, Movie Night, 10th Grade, Wickenburg Cristian Academy.

Mother's Day at the Museum!
2024-05-12 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Phoenix) | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Sunday May 12 | 11 a.m.
Mother’s Day at the Museum, creative activities until 3 p.m. Free admission for moms!
Celebrate Mother’s Day at the DCWM with special activities and free museum admission for mothers. Enjoy a mocktail “Momosa” then walk through the galleries of the 2024, women only, Cowgirl Up! exhibition and sale.
All mothers will receive free admission to the Museum in honor of Mother’s Day and free mocktail “Momosas” in the Museum’s Learning Center (available while supplies last).
We will have a “make-and-take” craft activity especially for mom. More details to come.
See “Cowgirl Up!” in Main Museum.
Also free admission for Museum Members and Children 17 and under.

Mexican Folk Art Exhibition Last Day on View
2024-04-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
Sunday, April 28 will be the last day to see the exhibition in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center (CCLC)
“Mexican Folk Art: Artesanía del Pueblo”, open to the public October 29, 2022 – April 28, 2024.
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 celebrations, festivities, or religious rites. Pieces are a blend of indigenous and European technique and design. Artesaníarepresents a strong Mexican regional and national identity and invites further exploration.
Special thanks to our private lenders and the following: Amerind Museum, ASU Art Museum, Heard Museum, Tucson Museum of Art.
Image: Unknown artist, Tree of Life from Izucar de Matamoros, Puebla, Mexico, 1979. Courtesy of Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona. NA-MX-MX-A7-256.

Ladies Night Out
2024-04-18 17:00 - 19:00 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Las Señoras de Socorro’s Ladies’ Night Out returns!
Celebrate the wonderful art of the Cowgirl Up! 2024 show here at the museum.
Cost: $25.00 Includes two glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres. Buy your tickets now. As always, we’ll have amazing Raffle prizes, so bring your raffle $$$ – tickets are $5 each or 3 tickets for $10.
This event is a popular evening out for the ladies of Wickenburg, bring friends or come alone and meet new friends. Our goal is to have fun and raise a few bucks for the museum too.

Art After Dark (Members' Only)
2024-04-12 17:30 - 19:00 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Join us for our Members’ Only Appreciation “Art After Dark”
Friday, April 12 | 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Enjoy a progressive wine and hors d’oeuvres shopping experience 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.
Enter to win a gift basket full of curated retail items from our stores, no purchase necessary. Drawing to take place that evening.
Please RSVP via e-mail to Camille Hazeldine (chazeldine@westernmuseum.org) or call (928) 684-2272 M-F during business hours.
Members receive a 15% discount and Volunteers receive a 20% discount off most items in both stores.

Third Annual Western Woman of Distinction Luncheon RSVP
2024-04-09 12:00 - 14:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
3rd Annual Western Woman of Distinction Luncheon, Tuesday April 9, 2024.
The Cowgirl Up! Western Woman of Distinction Luncheon and the “Elizabeth Hudson Smith Award” ceremony is set to take place on April 9 at 12 p.m. in the Desert Caballeros Western Museum’s Cultural Crossroads Learning Center (CCLC) located on 10 N Tegner St., Wickenburg, AZ 85390. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
Keynote sponsor is National Bank Of Arizona.

Online reservations has ended. Please come to the Museum administration building during business hours or call 928.684.2272 M-F between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lecture: Tom Zoellner, “Rim to River”
2024-04-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
Thursday Apr 4 | 11 A.M.
Tom Zoellner, “Rim to River” in the CCLC. Booksigning after lecture. Tom Zoellner, a fifth-generation Arizonan, is the author of eight nonfiction books, including The Heartless Stone, Uranium, The National Road, and Island on Fire, which won the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Award and was a finalist for the Bancroft Prize.
Rim to River is the story of this extraordinary journey through redrock country, down canyons, up mesas, and across desert plains to the obscure valley in Mexico that gave the state its enigmatic name. The trek is interspersed with incisive essays that pick apart the distinctive cultural landscape of Arizona: the wine-colored pinnacles and complex spirituality of Navajoland, the mind-numbing stucco suburbs, desperate border crossings, legislative skullduggery, extreme politics, billion-dollar copper ventures, dehydrating rivers, retirement kingdoms, old-time foodways, ghosts of old wars, honky-tonk dreamers, murder mysteries, and magical Grand Canyon reveries.
–University of Arizona Press

Free with paid admission for adults and free for museum members. Kids 17 and under are free.

Lecture: Japanese Gila River Internment Camp
2024-03-14 11:00 - 12:00
Lecture: Japanese Gila River Internment Camp
Thursday, March 14, 11:00 a.m. in the Cultural Crossroads Learning Center
Join us to welcome speaker Midori Hall in the CCLC. Hall was born in the Gila River Japanese Internment Camp in Arizona in August of 1942 and has had her story featured in the news and as part of a Smithsonian exhibition.
Free with paid admission for adults and free for museum members. Kids 17 and under are free.

Desert Adventure Tour: Walnut Grove Dam
2024-03-06 08:30 - 15:00
Desert Adventure Tour of Walnut Grove Dam. Lunch and transportation are provided, $85 members/$110 non-members. Please call (928) 684-2272 to register.
Arizona settlers hailed the construction of the Walnut Grove Dam as the beginning of the end of the wild frontier, where man’s ingenuity in controlling water could tame the wilderness and transform Arizona into “rich farming, pasture and mining lands” as “hundreds of similar water works will be constructed in the Territory.” Those dreams came crashing down early one February morning in 1890, as over 30 million gallons of water broke through the dam, killing up to 150 settlers and destroying hundreds of acres of property. Join Master Docent Joe Stevens and Adjunct Curator of History Dr. Eduardo Pagán on a visit to the dam site and learn about the events leading up to the disaster and the destruction of the settlements in the flood’s path. Transportation provided.

Paint Wickenburg: Public Plein Air Event in Wickenburg
2024-02-24 09:00 - 15:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
On Saturday, February 24, we are proud to present “Paint Wickenburg: Plein Air”, a site-specific and in-person painting event with the Wickenburg Art Club (WAC). If you are an artist interested in participating, please contact Corey Garman at vicepresident@wickenburgartclub.org. The registration fee is $25. Artists’ registration begins at 8 a.m. Painting starts at 9 a.m. and goes until 3 p.m. Artwork available for purchase from 3-5 p.m. in the Museum’s
Learning Center.
The designated area to paint in downtown Wickenburg will be from the Hassayampa bridge to Basha’s supermarket and from Basha’s to the train station on Frontier Street. This event is rain or shine; painting on-site, and Wickenburg has to be the subject. It’s first-come, first-served for easel locations.
Pictured: Desert Caballeros Western Museum (DCWM) “Cowgirl Up!” artist Sonja Caywood painting in downtown Wickenburg.
8-9 a.m.: Artists register at Museum’s Cultural Crossroads Learning Center (pick up DCWM’s French easel then if requested prior)
9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Paint
3:00-3:30 p.m.: Paintings hung in the CCLC
3:30-5:00 p.m.: Reception and sales open to the public

Rescheduled! Desert Adventure Tour: Guest Ranches
2024-02-21 09:00 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Desert Adventure Tour: Guest Ranches #2, ($105 members/$130 not-yet-members). The tour is led by master docent Joe Stevens and will stop at historic ranch locations which may include the Hassayampa River Preserve (Garden of Allah guest ranch), Simpson Ranch, Remuda Ranch, Monte Vista Ranch, Kay El Bar Ranch, Flying E Ranch, and Rancho de los Caballeros. Transportation provided and lunch included at Rancho de los Caballeros.
Call or email Camille to register: 928-684-2272, info@westernmuseum.org. Meet 9 a.m. sharp in the Main Museum lobby at 21 N Frontier St in Wickenburg!

Free Lecture: They Did More than Just Drink: How Black Social Clubs Created Communities in Tucson from 1860-1900 with Bernard Wilson
2024-02-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
Marking Black History month, we are pleased to present, “They Did More than Just Drink: How Black Social Clubs Created Communities in Tucson from 1860-1900”. Between 1865 and 1870, Black people from slave states emigrated to Tucson. As skilled cooks, domestics, barbers, scouts, surveyors, and builders, they came in search of place to start life as free people. Historians described this first wave of Black pioneers as passive Tucsonans disinterested in the politics and governance of the city. Yet, these early arrivals were quite vocal and active members of Tucson society. They established several political and social clubs, creating Black only spaces. Within the safe spaces of the clubs, they were able to discuss national, territorial, and local politics. The clubs faced backlash from white town persons, who feared that the congregating of minorities would lead to the degradation of the city. The unprovoked attacks included false legal actions against the club, city ordinances banning black socializing, and even refusal of hall spaces to meet. However, with each new obstacle the early Black social clubs found new and innovative ways to persevere.
This presentation will trace the rise of social and political clubs established by early Black Tucsonans. It will discuss how social clubs like the Arcade Club was more than a social club and happy hour for Black men. Rather, Black social clubs became instrumental in supporting black businesses, building and strengthening the black community, and setting the Black political agenda in Tucson.
Admission is free and made possible by Arizona Humanities.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Bernard Wilson is an independent researcher, who began his humanities research as part of a personal genealogical investigation into his family. He has spent the past twenty-seven years researching Tucson’s African-American pioneers and community. His first book, The Black Residents of Tucson and Their Achievements: A Reference Guide, exposed that Tucson had a large and thriving African- American community that included mining millionaires. His subsequent publications derived from the research for his book. Currently, his research focuses on the individual lives of the Old Pueblo’s African-Americans.

Eduardo Pagán: How the Horse Altered Native American Life (New Day/Time at the Saguaro Theater)
2024-02-15 10:30 - 11:30 | Saguaro Theater
Dr. Pagán returns with another presentation, “Adaptive Native America: How the Horse Altered Native American Life”. Since the time that the Spanish first set foot on American shores, the horse was not an unknown creature for many native people of the Americas. But learning to live with them brought a revolution in economy, warfare, and even in the power dynamics between native nations. This presentation will explore some of the ways in which the introduction of the horse profoundly changed life for many native communities of the American West.
Join us Thursday, February 15 at 10:30 a.m. at now at the Saguaro Theater. Doors open at 10 a.m.
$10 admission, free for members.
Dr. Eduardo Pagán is Arizona State University’s Bob Stump Endowed Professor of History, and the Desert Caballeros Western Museum’s Adjunct Curator of History. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in U.S. history. In addition to authoring numerous books on the history of the Southwest, he was one of the hosts of “History Detectives” (PBS), a historical consultant with “American Experience” (PBS), and has appeared in national and international documentaries and television shows.

Appraisal Day
2024-02-03 10:00 - 16:00 | Cultural Crossroads Learning Center, 10 N Tegner St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390, United States
Saturday Feb. 3 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Learning Center
Certified licensed appraiser Sean Morton will be available to identify and provide informal appraisals of fine art and antiques in the DCWM Learning Center. He will conduct appraisals on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bring fine art, jewelry, rugs and antiques. No guns, sports memorabilia, stamps or coins. $25 first items, $15 additional items, 5-item maximum.
There will be free admissionto the Learning Center all day. Call 928.684.2272 or e-mail info@westernmuseum.org. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Museum.

We asked Sean a few questions to get you prepared for Appraisal Day. Sean is owner of Morton Appraisals in Scottsdale.
DCWM: What should I bring?
Sean Morton: Fine art of all kinds – European, American, Latin American, Native American pottery/silver & turquoise jewelry/rugs/sterling silver, Asian works of art, pottery or porcelain, unusual collectables like important signatures of political or figures in history that command attention. What not to bring…sports collectables, guns and coins (not my area), stamps, newer dolls purchased on television, silverplate, anything made as a collectable that was generally mass-produced and not too valuable.
DCWM: Can you give an example of something you appraised at the DCWM that was much more valuable than what the owner thought?
SM: I remember someone brought in a painting by the French artist Antoine Blanchard worth $3,000. I had someone else bring in an inlaid silver bracelet by the Hopi silversmith Charles Loloma worth $10,000.
DCWM: Can I use your verbal appraisal for insurance purposes?
SM: The appraisal event is fun and informative. The verbal evaluation can’t be used for insurance or any other legal use. I would recommend a certified appraisal report when the individual items is perhaps worth $2,500 or more.
DCWM: Should I bring supporting documents i.e., photos, signed letters and other appraisals?
SM: Any prior paperwork, family background, where the item was purchased, inherited, etc. is very helpful. One time a woman brought in an ink pen…an ink pen! I was asked if it had any value. I said, “Not much. Can you tell me where it came from?” She floored me by bringing out a photograph of President Nixon using the pen to sign an important bill. Well, that changed everything.
DCWM: Why get my object appraised when I can do the research online at sites like artnet.com or ebay?
SM: I recommend self-appraising an item by reaching out to all the online sources. However, there are times when it’s advisable to have someone in the business tell them real-world values. It is important to know value, but, sometimes it’s important to know where or how to sell the item for the most amount of money possible. Now more than ever, with the news talking about a possible recession, it’s important to see where you are with your tangible assets.
Sean is a certified appraiser and member of the Antique Appraisal Association of America, and has been appraising full-time for over 25 years. Sean’s recent consignment was with a well-known London auction company selling a rare painting by a North African artist Hassan El Glaoui that sold for 25,000 British pounds. Sean has been a long-time trusted advisor to the DCWM.

Desert Adventure Tour: Ghost Towns
2024-01-29 09:00 - 15:00 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Join our exciting Desert Adventure Tour exploring Ghost Towns! Take the wheel on this self-drive adventure and uncover the intriguing history of these abandoned settlements.
Stops on the tour will include Octave, Stanton, the Old Congress town site and cemetery, and the Garcia Cemetery. The tour will conclude in Wickenburg by 3:00 p.m. Participants will self-drive and pay for their own lunch at Nichol’s West in Congress. Don’t miss out – it’s from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $40 for members or $60 for not-yet-members. Meet in the Main Museum lobby at 9 sharp!
Secure your spot by calling (928) 684-2272 to register today!

Above: Hotel Stanton today; formerly Chuck Stanton’s home.
Top: Charles P. “Chuck” Stanton standing in front of his home/store in Stanton, Arizona, sometime before his death in 1886.

Howard Post In-Person Walkthrough
2024-01-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
Howard Post: Western Perspectives
Meet the artist and get an exclusive tour led by Howard Post himself.
Exhibition walkthrough in the main galleries. Meet in the main lobby.

"Howard Post: Western Perspectives" on view in the Main Museum
2023-12-16 - 2024-02-25 | Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N Frontier St, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390
In his artistic representations, Howard Post is continually inspired by his experiences from living in the American West. A third-generation Arizonan, Post utilizes traditional Western themes in his paintings based on what he knows: ranching and the rodeo. Over his 30-year career, he has become one of the foremost contemporary Western painters of the twenty-first century, concentrating on images of cowboys, corrals, horses, livestock, and wide pastures using his own signature style and array of colors. Post’s strong lighting, deep shadows, abstract patterns, and aerial viewpoints present a modern perspective of Western life and environments.
Look for events related to the exhibition in the near future.

Hover your cursor over the thumbnail for caption. Click to see a larger, uncropped image.

BearCat Family Friday presented by The Etnyre Foundation
2023-10-06 11:00 - 15:00
Join us for BearCat Family Friday at the DCWM! Experience a fun-filled day of family-friendly activities, including interactive exhibits, guided tours, and special programs highlighting the rich history and culture of the American West. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to explore the Wild West with your loved ones and create lasting memories together.
Activities for all ages until 3 p.m., this event is free for children 17 and under. Activities are also included with paid museum admission or free for Museum members.

Independence Day (National Holiday)
2022-07-04
Museum and Museum Stores are closed.
