Wyoming State Museum

Wyoming holds some of the richest fossil beds in the world, and the museum brings that deep past to life with dinosaur bones, ancient fish from the state's fossil lakes, and displays on the geology that shaped the land. The state has yielded famous dinosaurs and the aquarium-in-stone fossils of the southwest.

These exhibits set the stage for everything else, showing how ancient seas, swamps, and volcanic upheavals built the mountains and basins that travelers cross today, and left behind the coal, oil, and minerals that shaped the modern state's economy.

The museum gives careful attention to the Native nations of the region, among them the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, whose Wind River homeland lies within the state, and the many Plains peoples tied to this land. Their long presence and living cultures are central to Wyoming's story, not a closed chapter.

From there the exhibits trace the fur trade, the great emigrant trails, the coming of the railroad, and the conflicts and treaties that reshaped the plains. Artifacts, photographs, and firsthand accounts give a human scale to the sweeping changes of the nineteenth century.

Ranching is at the heart of Wyoming's identity, and the museum explores the cattle era, the cowboy life, and the sheep and homestead history that filled the range. Displays on coal, oil, and mineral mining show the industries that have long powered the state.

Cheyenne is also the home of Wyoming's proudest political legacy, and the museum tells how the territory became the first government to grant women the vote, earning the state its Equality nickname. It is a fitting theme for a museum steps from the capitol where that history was made.

The museum is free and open on a regular schedule through the week, with hands-on stations that keep younger visitors engaged and rotating special exhibits that reward return trips. An hour or two is enough to take in the highlights before moving on.

Its location makes it easy to combine with the gold-domed capitol a block away and the historic downtown of old hotels and the grand railroad depot. Together they make Cheyenne a rewarding half day of Wyoming history before the open road.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Wyoming State Museum, in the city of Cheyenne, is the state's flagship history museum, telling the rich story of Wyoming from its ancient past through its Native peoples, frontier era, ranching heritage, and modern life. Its wide-ranging exhibits cover dinosaurs and prehistoric life, the Native American cultures of the region, the fur trade and westward expansion, cowboys and ranching, mining and energy, and Wyoming's role as the Equality State. Hands-on displays and dinosaur skeletons make it engaging for families, and admission is typically free. With its broad, well-designed exhibits on Wyoming's history and natural history, the State Museum offers an educational and enjoyable visit in Cheyenne.

You can explore exhibits on Wyoming's dinosaurs and prehistoric life including fossil skeletons, the Native American peoples of the region, the fur trade, frontier and pioneer history, cowboys and ranching heritage, mining and energy, wildlife, and the state's legacy as the first to grant women the vote. Hands-on and interactive displays make it especially fun for children. The breadth of the collection tells Wyoming's full story. With its dinosaurs, Native history, frontier heritage, and interactive exhibits, the Wyoming State Museum offers an engaging and educational experience for all ages in Cheyenne.

Yes, the Wyoming State Museum is very family-friendly, with dinosaur skeletons, hands-on and interactive displays, and exhibits that bring Wyoming's history and natural history to life in ways that engage children and adults alike, and admission is typically free, making it an easy and rewarding stop for families. Kids often especially enjoy the dinosaurs and the hands-on activities. Its variety keeps visitors of all ages interested. With its kid-friendly exhibits, dinosaurs, and free admission, the Wyoming State Museum makes an excellent family destination in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

As an indoor museum, the Wyoming State Museum is enjoyable year-round in any weather, making it a great stop in the heat of summer or the cold of winter alike, though it is typically closed on some days such as Sundays or holidays, so checking current days and hours before you go is wise. Summer is the busy travel season in Cheyenne, and the museum pairs well with the nearby State Capitol. Because it is climate-controlled and family-friendly, the Wyoming State Museum is a reliable and rewarding destination any time of year in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The Wyoming State Museum is in downtown Cheyenne, right near the Wyoming State Capitol, the historic downtown district, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, and within reach of Curt Gowdy State Park and the Vedauwoo rock formations to the west toward Laramie. That makes the State Museum an engaging stop to combine with the State Capitol, downtown Cheyenne, and the other attractions of southeastern Wyoming on a visit to the state.