The Autry Museum of the American West is an excellent museum that looks at many aspects of the West.  The collection includes fine art inspired by the American West, an outdoor garden that explores ethnobotany, the art and crafts of indigenous peoples and a lot more.  The first exhibit we looked at consider the myth and concept of the West in popular culture.  The museum of founded by Gene Autry, known as The Singing Cowboy.  I was especially interested in the story of Black American cowboys, like Bass Reeves.  I also enjoyed learning about the Sherman Indian School in nearby Riverside.  There has been so many terrible things uncovered about the Indian schools across the U.S., it was surprising to learn that some still exist and have become places to preserve Native American heritage.

The exhibits downstairs included an overview of Griffith Park.  There was a fun display of signs ordinary people had made directing guests to family events in the Park.  As a person not from L.A., I got a sense of how important the Park is to the wider community.

There is a lot to see in the Museum.  It has a nice restaurant and a plenty of exhibits that would be fascinating for children.  The Museum store is also great.  

                                                A life-sized tribute to the Pony Express

                                                A cowboy bike

                                                        Moo
                                                        The garden and waterfall


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