The Fort Worth Stockyards have never lacked for cowboy mythology, but for the past five years, they’ve also housed something more deliberate — a family-curated record of how John Wayne shaped, and was shaped by, the American West. Opened in December 2020 inside the Historic Exhibits Building, “John Wayne: An American Experience” has grown into one of the district’s most visited cultural stops, balancing film history with personal archive.
The anniversary coincides with the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, and the timing is intentional. From Jan. 16 through Feb. 7, the museum is marking the occasion with expanded programming and discounted admission, offering five dollars off walk-up tickets. Adult admission drops to $17.95, with reduced rates for seniors, students, and children, and kids 5 and under are admitted free.
Growth has been both literal and reputational. A 2024 expansion increased the museum’s footprint to nearly 14,000 square feet, creating room for rotating exhibitions, a larger retail presence, and expanded event space. That additional square footage reflects how the museum has evolved since opening — from a single-gallery experience into a venue capable of hosting film anniversaries, educational tours, and art installations.
Those milestones have included celebrations tied to Wayne’s late-career films, notably the 50th anniversaries of “Big Jake” in 2021 and “The Cowboys” in 2022. Both events brought Wayne family members and co-stars to Fort Worth, reinforcing the museum’s emphasis on firsthand storytelling rather than Hollywood gloss. Partnerships with Education in Action and Stockyards Heritage have also broadened the audience, introducing younger visitors to Wayne’s work through guided tours.
Inside, the museum follows Wayne chronologically, starting with his childhood and early career before moving through his rise as a Western and war-film star. Guests encounter original family photographs, private correspondence, military costumes from his films, and awards that document how carefully Wayne’s public image was constructed — and how closely it aligned with his personal values.
Two rotating exhibits anchor the current season. On view through Feb. 28, “The John Wayne Gun Collection — Guns That Won the West” spans four decades of filmmaking, from “The Big Trail” in 1930 to “The Shootist” in 1976. Curated in collaboration with John Wayne Enterprises and the National Firearms Museum, the exhibit includes firearms used in some of Wayne’s most recognizable roles, including the short-barreled Winchester Model 1892 featured in “True Grit,” “Big Jake,” and “Rooster Cogburn.”
Running through May 31, a second exhibition presents the John Wayne Family Portfolio Collection from Andy Warhol’s “Cowboys & Indians” series. The ten works place Wayne alongside other American figures and symbols — from Annie Oakley to Geronimo — filtered through Warhol’s unmistakable pop-art lens.
The anniversary has also spilled into the museum’s retail space. John Wayne Stock & Supply recently debuted apparel from its Fort Worth Collection and is displaying multimedia works by artist Ty Hays and custom hats by milliner Teressa Foglia, with proceeds supporting the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. A Meet the Maker event with Wayne Family Estate winemakers later this month extends the celebration beyond the gallery walls.
Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the museum has become part of the Stockyards’ everyday landscape, drawing rodeo crowds, school groups, and longtime Wayne fans alike. Five years in, “John Wayne: An American Experience” continues to function less as a shrine than as a working archive, one that places a Hollywood legend inside a Fort Worth setting where Western heritage remains a living reference point, not a costume.