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MISSION STATEMENT

“The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame honors those individuals who have shown excellence in competition, business, and support of rodeo and the Western lifestyle in Texas.”

 

ABOUT THE TEXAS COWBOY HALL OF FAME

Located in the historic Exhibits Building in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame & Museum is the official home of more than 200 honorees whose lives and legacies define Texas Western heritage, and growing each year.

 

The museum is currently closed to the public as we undergo a major re-imagination and expansion. Our team of museum designers, historians, and exhibit specialists is creating an innovative, educational, and immersive experience that will bring the stories of Texas cowboys and cowgirls to life in bold new ways.

 

When we reopen, guests will experience dynamic galleries, interactive storytelling, and the full display of several world-class collections, all under one roof in the very building the Hall of Fame owns and operates in the Stockyards.

 

OUR STORY

The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame was founded in 1997 by Bobby and Susan Kerr of Hico, Texas, to honor outstanding horsemen and women who have excelled in and out of the arena.

 

In 2001, Holt and Jo Hickman relocated the Hall of Fame to the Fort Worth Stockyards, placing it at the center of one of the world’s most iconic Western destinations.

 

Following the recent expansion of the Stockyards, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame purchased the historic Exhibits Building on Rodeo Plaza, adjacent to Billy Bob’s Texas. Today, the building is home to major attractions including John Wayne: An American Experience, Escapology, Jersey Lilly Photo & Tintype Parlor, and Los Vaqueros, while also serving as the permanent and expanded home of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame & Museum.

 

This new chapter allows us to design a museum experience worthy of the men and women who built the Western way of life.

 

THE COLLECTIONS

  • Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame Collection

    • This collection honors more than 200 Texas men and women who have excelled in rodeo, cutting, performing, ranching, and rodeo sports medicine. Their stories reflect the competitive spirit, work ethic, and pioneering nature of the ranching cowboy. Artifacts include championship buckles, saddles, clothing, photographs, and personal memorabilia, many paired with video storytelling.

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  • The Hickman Wagon Collection

    • Billed as one of the world’s largest lifestyle wagon collections, this extraordinary collection includes more than 60 antique wagons, carriages, and sleighs. Highlights include a hand-painted Sicilian cart, an elaborate Welsh funeral hearse, and commercial wagons that illustrate the transition from wagons to tractors and automobiles. This collection will be fully displayed as part of the new museum design.

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  • John Justin Trail of Fame

    • This exhibit tells the story of the Justin family and the legacy of Justin Boots, which began in 1879 and became a global symbol of the American West. The collection includes boots, photographs, and personal memorabilia, and is being reimagined as a more interactive experience in the new museum.

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  • Amon G. Carter 1933 Cadillac

    • The fully restored 1933 Cadillac once owned by Amon G. Carter Sr., prominent Fort Worth publisher and philanthropist, is part of the museum’s story of Western progress. Complete with its custom pistol holster, the vehicle bridges the era of horse-drawn transportation and the rise of the automobile

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  • CURRENT STATUS

    • The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame & Museum is temporarily closed as we design and build a next-generation museum experience. We look forward to welcoming guests back to a space that better honors the legacies of our honorees and the enduring spirit of the Texas cowboy.

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