Museum of the Plains Indians
Statue of Plains Indian, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
The Plains Indians Museum is really impressive. Another place where I could spend most of a day looking and learning. The displays are aimed at telling the story of the lives of the Plains Indians--their traditions, cultures, and histories. Considerable effort is made to inform about the people who made the objects on display and how the objects fit into their lives.
We found the museum more interesting and informative than the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. The reason for this may be that the National Museum tries to cover all the various tribes and thus doesn't do justice to any one of them. Although we felt that the Museum in the Buffalo Bill Historical center was the better of the two, we highly recommend the National Museum of the American Indian.
Much of the material in the Museum of the Plains Indians came from the Indians that were part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Additional material has been added to the collection over the years.
Plains Indians Objects, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
The Northern Plains tribes such as the Lakota, Crow, Arapaho, Shoshone, Cheyenne are the primary focus of the museum.
Plains Indians Objects, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Plains Indians Objects, Buffalo Bill Historical Center
You can learn more about the Plains Indians Museum by visiting their website. And if you're ever in Cody in June try to catch the Plains Indians Museum Pow Wow.