Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West

Opened in 2015, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West was conceived by former Scottsdale mayor Herb Drinkwater (1936-97) who served from 1980-1996. Located in Old Town Scottsdale, Western Spirit is owned by the City of Scottsdale and operated by The Scottsdale Museum of the West, a non-profit organization incorporated in 2007. A Board of Trustees, through the Museum Director, oversees day-to-day operations. The 43,000 square foot museum broke ground on January 20, 2014. The building houses eight exhibition spaces, the 135-seat Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Theater and Auditorium, the Christine and Ted Mollring Sculpture Courtyard, and the Sue and Robert Karatz Museum Store. Western Spirit has been a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2015. From 2016-2021, True West Magazine has named Western Spirit “The Nation’s Best Western Museum.” Notable past exhibitions include: Maynard Dixon’s American West; By Beauty Obsessed: Gilbert Waldman Collects the West; Charles M. Russell: The Women in His Life and Art; Marjorie Thomas: Arizona Art Pioneer; The Taos Society of Artists. Mike Fox served as Director/CEO (2008-2022). Dr. James Burns, former Director of the Arizona Historical Society, took the reins as Executive Director of Western Spirit in October 2021.

Mayor Drinkwater and others who shared his vision saw an opportunity for Scottsdale, known as “The West’s Most Western Town” to establish itself as a center for the study and appreciation of the region’s history, encompassing Indigenous Peoples, Spanish and Mexican settlers, and Western pioneers, and to become a nexus “Where the Old West meets the New West.” Founding Director/ CEO Mike Fox said, “We are not a museum of objects, but a museum of ideas.” Storytelling is the heart of Western Spirit’s mission, immersing visitors in the unique heritage of the region—“illuminating the past to shape our future.” Rotating exhibitions of artworks, artifacts, and cultural objects, interactive experiences, presentations, performances, and events allow visitors to explore and discover the American West for themselves.

Christiana Moss and Christopher Alt of the architectural firm Studio MA, based in Clifton, NJ and Phoenix, AZ, designed the Western Spirit building. Landscape architects Colwell and Michele Shelor of Phoenix, AZ designed the grounds. Both interior and exterior spaces are LEED Gold Standard certified for conserving natural resources. The surfaces, materials, colors, shapes, and building techniques are intended, as Moss says, to “describe what the West means in physical form and what it can mean for visitors and residents.” The concrete ribbing on the exterior of the building mimics the ribs of the saguaro cactus, serving not only a decorative purpose but providing passive vertical shade. The “weeping wall,” located in the Courtyard, collects rainwater and recycles 100% of the condensation from the air conditioning system; this water flows into landscaping on the museum grounds. Decorative patterns made to age naturally over time echo Western saddles, old barns, and leather tooling. The use of Western red cedar throughout the lobby area brings a fragrance from the landscape indoors and adds to the environmental effect of the building. As Moss observes, “The upper galleries represent the New West, shading and protecting the lower galleries, which represent the history and stories of the Old West, while the Courtyard serves as the center of the museum, though the design isn’t linear—it’s circular, spiral. It allows you to wander and find your own way through the museum with a kind of pioneering, exploring spirit.”

The exhibits will rotate periodically; the 2015 opening presented the following ones:[1]

• Inspirational Journey: The Story of Lewis & Clark. Contemporary Western representational artist Charles Fritz (1955- ) retraced the route of the expedition (1804–06) and then chronicled it in 100 paintings.[2] This exhibition will be displayed until October 31, 2016.
• Process and Materiality: The Bronze Artistry of John Coleman[3] with Erik Petersen
• Will James: Cowboy Artist and Author. This exhibit presents the paintings, drawings, etchings, books, and ephemera of Will James (1892-1942) until May 31, 2016.
• The A.P. Hays Spirit of the West Collection features saddles, spurs, holsters, revolvers and other quintessentially western items on loan from Abe Hays, collector and founder of Arizona West Galleries in Scottsdale. The items show the sublime union of the practical and the aesthetic.
• Fine Art of the American West: People and Places. Works by artists such as Charles Bird King, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ed Mell, Allan Houser, Kate T. Cory, and Marjorie Thomas reveal the variety of themes, styles, and imagery of western art.
• Confluence of Cultures in the American West: A Selection of Contemporary Artists
• Courage and Crossroads: A Visual Journey through the Early American West

Unique offerings celebrate the western lifestyle at Western Spirit’s Sue and Robert Karatz Museum Store, the “Best Place to Get AZ Stuff,” according to Phoenix Magazine. From pottery, glassware and kitchen gear to books, jewelry, children’s items and more, all purchases are tax-free and benefit our non-profit organization. Admission to the store is free. Museum Members receive up to 15% off all purchases (some exclusions apply).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West.

• Official website