About the Museum
Founded in 1988 by legendary entertainer Gene Autry—recording star, movie actor, broadcasting empire chairman, and Major League Baseball team owner—who spent decades collecting Western art and memorabilia before realizing his dream to share the heritage of the American West with the world.
The collection encompasses over 600,000 objects including art, firearms, saddles, and Hollywood Western memorabilia. The Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection is the second-largest in the nation after the Smithsonian, featuring 238,000 pieces including 14,000 baskets, 10,000 ceramics, and 6,300 textiles from Alaska to South America.
Located in Griffith Park across from the Los Angeles Zoo, the museum merged with the Women of the West Museum of Colorado in 2002, expanding its focus to include gender issues and women's experiences in the American West.
Mission, Collections, and Programs
The Autry's mission is to bring together the stories of all peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inspire a shared future. Its galleries are filled with paintings, sculptures, film memorabilia, photographs, and historic firearms, all related to the American West. The collection of more than 600,000 pieces of art and cultural objects includes one of the largest and most significant collections of Native American materials in the United States.
Beyond its galleries, the Autry presents a wide range of art, history, and culture exhibitions, events, and public programs—lectures, films, theater performances, festivals, and family activities. It serves as a gathering place for the community with signature events such as the Autry Block Party, the American Indian Arts Marketplace, the National Day of the Cowgirl and Cowboy, and the annual POW WOW. As an educational institution, the Autry provides school tours and curriculum to local schools, including Title I schools in Los Angeles. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional caretakers of the land on which it stands.
Planning Your Visit
The Autry Museum of the American West is located at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Griffith Park, across from the Los Angeles Zoo, with free parking for visitors. For current hours, exhibitions, ticketing, and program details, visit the museum's official website at theautry.org.
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