Cattle Raisers Museum closes for renovations
The Cattle Raisers Museum is pleased to announce that it has begun renovation of its galleries and public spaces inside the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (FWMSH). The museum closed Oct. 11, 2016, and is scheduled to reopen in May 2017 with new interactive galleries and exhibits enhancing the stories of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA).
The renovations will be the first major update for the Cattle Raisers Museum since it opened inside the FWMSH in 2009. An interactive chronological timeline interwoven with artifacts and exhibits will allow visitors to understand important historical markers beginning in the late 1600s through present and will include information on the history of cattle raising in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Many artifacts and photos will be on display for the first time from the museum’s collection, including a saddle collection from Ken Spain and Charles Goodnight’s JA Ranch “Old Blue” lead steer bell. Exhibits featuring video footage of Texas ranches and livestock and a taxidermy longhorn herd will highlight central themes of land stewardship, the significance of water and value of beef and cattle byproducts.
Approximately one million children visit the museum each year and will enjoy the addition of interactive games and hands on activities. A virtual clothing booth will be a new attraction and portraits of various cattle breeds will come alive through animation in the Hall of Great Cattle.
“The importance of cattle and ranchers has always been well represented throughout the Cattle Raisers Museum,” said Patricia Riley, executive director, Cattle Raisers Museum. “These highly anticipated renovations will reinforce the museum’s educational message of how ranchers are interwoven with their livestock, land, water, and other wildlife.”
In 1979, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members formed the TSCR Foundation (TSCRF) and followed with the Cattle Raisers Museum in March 1981, focusing on the history and culture of this iconic industry. For nearly 30 years, the museum was located at the association’s headquarters on West Seventh Street, until it moved into the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History when it opened in 2009.
The renovations will be the first major update for the Cattle Raisers Museum since it opened inside the FWMSH in 2009. An interactive chronological timeline interwoven with artifacts and exhibits will allow visitors to understand important historical markers beginning in the late 1600s through present and will include information on the history of cattle raising in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Many artifacts and photos will be on display for the first time from the museum’s collection, including a saddle collection from Ken Spain and Charles Goodnight’s JA Ranch “Old Blue” lead steer bell. Exhibits featuring video footage of Texas ranches and livestock and a taxidermy longhorn herd will highlight central themes of land stewardship, the significance of water and value of beef and cattle byproducts.
Approximately one million children visit the museum each year and will enjoy the addition of interactive games and hands on activities. A virtual clothing booth will be a new attraction and portraits of various cattle breeds will come alive through animation in the Hall of Great Cattle.
“The importance of cattle and ranchers has always been well represented throughout the Cattle Raisers Museum,” said Patricia Riley, executive director, Cattle Raisers Museum. “These highly anticipated renovations will reinforce the museum’s educational message of how ranchers are interwoven with their livestock, land, water, and other wildlife.”
In 1979, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association members formed the TSCR Foundation (TSCRF) and followed with the Cattle Raisers Museum in March 1981, focusing on the history and culture of this iconic industry. For nearly 30 years, the museum was located at the association’s headquarters on West Seventh Street, until it moved into the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History when it opened in 2009.
Since its founding, the Cattle Raisers Museum has pursued the TSCRF’s mission statement to preserve, promote, and protect the heritage of the livestock industry and to share their culture with present and future generations. This mission continues to guide efforts and push to improve the museum’s ability to reach families, students, teachers, and other visitors with the spirit, history, and culture of the western cattle raiser.
For more news about the Cattle Raisers Museum, visit www.cattleraisersmuseum.org, and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CattleRaisers and Twitter at www.twitter.com/cattleraisers to keep track of the renovation.
For more news about the Cattle Raisers Museum, visit www.cattleraisersmuseum.org, and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CattleRaisers and Twitter at www.twitter.com/cattleraisers to keep track of the renovation.