"Western Movie" Night ... at the Museum
Full speed ahead, Jedediah.
Categories: Movies
By: TW Editors 03/01/2007
For 50 years, Teddy Roosevelt has had his eye on Sacagawea. When Larry, the nightshift guard at Roosevelt’s namesake museum, convinces the former president to act on his feelings, Teddy offers the lovely Lewis and Clark guide a ride on his horse.
In 2006’s Night at the Museum, though, not everyone appreciates Larry. Especially not the sensitive cowboy, Jedediah, who has no problem firing up the iron horse to make him pay (although we don’t know for what). “Seriously, stop the train,” Larry begs. “All right,” Jedediah says. But as quick as Larry says “Thank you,” the train is off again: “Now full speed ahead and ram him! Split his head like a watermelon,” orders Jedediah, and the train does. Well, sort of.
It gets your attention, at least, and that’s the lesson of the movie—museums need more than passive exhibits; they’re supposed to be a place where “history comes to life.” Not literally, of course; we certainly wouldn’t want miniature Roman soldiers and Wild West cowboys attacking us and calling us “Gigantor.” But history can be fun, and museums should make every effort to show us how. What better way to do so than presenting some of that Hollywood magic in their exhibits? We’ve found you nine museums that do just that—pay tribute to the Western genre of cinema.
You Are Our Sunshine, Gene
CA, Los Angeles, Museum of the American West: America’s favorite singing cowboy star, Gene Autry, founded this museum in 1988. Its collection includes motion picture photographs, posters, costumes and props. The cinematic West is set in the context of the “real” West through the museum’s other exhibits on cowboy life, transportation and 19th-century pioneers. autrynationalcenter.org • 323-667-2000
Roy Rogers “Met” Trigger Here
CA, Lone Pine, Museum of Lone Pine Film History: Shares Western film history and offers movie cars from High Sierra and Trail to San Antone, and a stagecoach used in 20th Century Fox Westerns. It also houses a theater playing classic Western features, and a Western film festival takes place at the museum every October. lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org • 760-876-9909
John Ford’s Final Western Shot Here
UT, Moab, Moab Museum of Film & Western Heritage: Red Cliffs Lodge is built on a ranch formerly owned by George White, the founder of the Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission. The museum there shares stories behind the movies shot in the area and filmed on nature’s sound stage. On display are movie posters, props and autographed scripts from Westerns such as Ford’s Cheyenne Autumn and City Slickers II. redcliffslodge.com/museum • 866-812-2002
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