The World's Largest Outdoor Rodeo Is A Legendary Historic Attraction For An Unmatched Taste Of The Wild West

The American West might be classified as an idea more than a place on a map. Visiting places like Cheyenne, Wyoming is comparable to going to sites of ancient mythology in Greece, only in this case it's the mythology of the Old West. Out in Cheyenne, the soul of the Old West is bottled up and kept alive for those who want to step into the frontier days. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum preserves the legacy of the world's largest rodeo, in a town full of history.

Back in 1897, the Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) began as a small event measuring cowboys' talents and as a way to stimulate the local economy. It was a day long and featured acts like pony riding and steer roping. The next year, the event was extended to two days, and over time, more cowboy-inspired shows and vendors were added, making it "the first big rodeo anywhere," as Mike Kassel, associate director of the CFD Old West Museum, told C-Span. Today, the celebration's enduring impact as one of the best destinations in the American West to see a rodeo is evident in the numbers: It drew in nearly 150,000 visitors in 2024, according to a Cheyenne Frontier Days report. This influence and legacy is all laid out in the CFD Old West Museum, which captures the rodeo's centuries-old spirit year-round.

The museum chronicles both CFD's history and the mythologized Old West as it transpired in Wyoming. It includes relics, photographs, keepsakes, and sprawling displays that capture the Wild West in all its glory. There are over 400,000 artifacts in total, so saddle up for an hour or more of perusing frontier legends.

When you first enter the CFD Old West Museum, there's a desk for admission and information. Once you turn into the exhibition itself, you're greeted by a horse figurine, and immediately the vast collection is sprawled out before you — including artifacts from the very first Cheyenne rodeo. Among the ongoing exhibitions, the museum houses the CFD Hall of Fame, honoring big names of rodeos past, and a large troupe of historic, restored carriages. "The various wagons and coaches are meticulously refurbished and their display is great," one TripAdvisor reviewer wrote. You'll also find artifacts and stories from Native American cultures and their relation to the rodeo.

In 1981, the museum expanded its focus by hosting an event dedicated to Western art, called the Cheyenne Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale, held annually. If you come during July or August, you can see the art show and even buy a piece to take home. For children, the museum has a Western Educational Center, which sometimes hosts workshops and educational events related to Western heritage. Before you leave the museum, stop by its gift shop to pick up an ornamental Western buckle or a CFD-branded bolo tie.

The museum is open daily from 9AM to 5PM, located next to Frontier Park (host of the rodeo). For long-distance travelers, the closest major airport is the Denver International Airport, about 1.5 hours away by car. While in the southern Wyoming area, you might also consider stopping by the town of Laramie, one of the West's most affordable mountain gems, under an hour from Cheyenne.