From an exhibit devoted to the West’s most well-known and notorious outlaw and a display of miniature artwork, to Hopi pottery masterpieces, film series and much more, the Western Spirit offers something for everyone
The temperatures outside are finally starting to cool down, but things are definitely heating up at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. This fall, the museum offers more than two dozen exciting exhibitions, programs and events for visitors to enjoy.
“We’re delighted to share such a wide variety of new artwork this season, along with films, speakers, and special programs that bring new perspectives to the West,” said Todd Bankofier, CEO at Western Spirit. “Whether you’ve visited us many times before or are brand new to Western art, we invite you to join us and enjoy all that we have planned for this fall.”
The museum is located in Old Town Scottsdale at 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251.
The exhibitions, programs, and events at Western Spirit this fall are:
The Resurrection of Billy the Kid – Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West and True West Magazine opens October 4th and combines forces to bring the West’s most notorious outlaw back to life. Bob Boze Bell’s high-voltage historical paintings of what “really” happened during the face off with Thom Ross’s surreal re-imaginings of the Kid’s life as a fevered frontier dance. There is also a haunting, life-size sculpture of Billy on his death bed by Buckeye Blake, staged like a wake complete with candles, curtains, and a guest book for mourners.
Guests are also invited to join the film series: Dead or Alive: Billy the Kid at the Movies which will run from October 12 to December 14, 2025. Get more details here https://westernspirit.org/project/billy-the-kid/
The films running include:
- Young Guns, Sunday, October 12 at 2 p.m.
- Chisum, Wednesday, October 15 at 2 p.m.,
- Billy the Kid, Sunday, October 19 at 2 p.m.
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid; the 50th Anniversary Cut, Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m.
- The Left-Handed Gun, Sunday, November 2 at 2 p.m.
- Old Henry, Sunday, November 9 at 2 p.m.
- The Outlaw, Sunday, November 23 at 2 p.m.
- The Kid, Sunday, November 30 at 2 p.m.
- Billy the Kid, Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m.
- Young Guns II, Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m.SALOON NITE! – The Celebrity Poker & Casino Charity Fundraiser will take place on Saturday, October 11th, 2025. Step into Western Spirit’s brand-new Louis Sands IV Center. For one night only, the museum is turning into a high-energy poker and casino party packed with poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, dinner, spirits, live country music, celeb photo opportunities and prizes. Featuring ranked World Series of Poker celebrities—including WSOP Main Event Champion Steven Jones, fresh off his $6.5 million win! Get tickets online at https://westernspirit.org/saloon-nite/.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration with Yellow Bird Productions.
The program brings together storytelling, dance, music, and tradition in honor of Native cultures, including a performance by storyteller and flute player Ken Duncan, The Healing Dance with Doreen Duncan, and a performance by Champion Hoop Dancer Talon Duncan. Guests are also invited to enjoy a reception afterwards in the courtyard. The program runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025.
Mac Schweitzer: A Southwest Maverick Rediscovered opens October 18th, 2025. Rediscover the remarkable life and work of mid-century artist Mac Schweitzer (1921-1962), once renowned as a mid-twentieth century painter of the people, animals, and landscapes of the south. Six decades after the artist’s death, guest curator Ann Lane Hedlund has rediscovered an artistic legacy full of intriguing stories and a fascinating, diverse body of artwork never before seen in public. Guests are also invited to explore deeper with the program,
Who Was Mac Schweitzer? Understanding the Artist and Her Motives by Ann Lane Hedlund, PhD Opening October 18th, 2025. Join author and retired University of Arizona Professor, Ann Lane Hedlund, as she discusses the work of artist Mac Schweitzer. Hedlund donated almost 500 items of Schweitzer’s art to the museum in memory of her late husband and Mac’s son, Kit Schweitzer for the exhibit of The program is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
Robert Rodriguez: Cinema Sin Fronteras Film Series – Western Spirit
celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a dynamic film series spotlighting the groundbreaking work of Robert Rodriguez—one of American cinema’s most inventive and influential storytellers. From El Mariachi to Spy Kids to Machete, Rodriguez redefined Latino representation on screen, casting Mexican American actors not as sidekicks or stereotypes but as action heroes, family adventurers, and pop culture icons. It runs now through October 22, 2025.
The Amazing Kolb Brothers of Grand Canyon by Roger Naylor – Arizona travel writer Roger Naylor will discuss his book The Amazing Kolb Brothers of Grand Canyon which covers the remarkable life of two of the Canyon’s most significant pioneers and legendary photographers. The program is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Documentary Film Series– Jews of the Wild West – This feature length
documentary is about resilience and identity in an unexpected place – the American West. The film tells a positive immigration story and highlights the dynamic contributions Jewish Americans made to shaping the Western United States. The program is from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 26 and Sunday, November 16.
Arizona Celebration of The International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026 – highlights the United Nations’ International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. This global initiative recognizes the critical role rangelands play in sustaining communities, economies, and ecosystems worldwide—and Arizona’s rangelands are at the heart of that story. This evening program brings together leading voices in conservation, ranching, and policy to explore how Arizona’s landscapes are shaping innovative collaborations and global conversations about the future of rangelands. Guests will gain insights into how local work connects to international priorities and why protecting these lands matters more than ever. This is more than a program—it’s a chance to engage with an international effort while celebrating Arizona’s leadership in sustaining rangelands for future generations. The program runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
The West in Miniature – This gallery is filled with tiny treasures — each one a scaled-down window into the art and culture of the American West. Here you’ll see tiny paintings, sculptures, ceramics, carvings, and more — organized not by size or date. but by the stories they tell. On view through December, 2026.
People, Places, Predicaments: John Clymer’s West – This exhibit, which is sponsored by Scottsdale Art Auction, features over 50 paintings by John Ford Clymer from the Eddie Basha Collection. Clymer (1907-1989) was an extraordinary artist whose work vividly captured the spirit of exploration and adventure of the American West. In a career that spanned six decades, Clymer was acclaimed for his meticulous depictions of explorers, fur trappers, American Indians of the early 1800s. This is the last month to see the exhibit, as its only on view through October 26, 2025.
Collecting Stories: John Coleman Bronzes from the Collection of Frankie and Howard Alper – This exhibit features a selection of bronzes from the Alper Family’s collection, including the 10-piece Explorer Artist Series, inspired by the 19th century paintings of George Catlin and Karl Bodmer.
Courage & Crossroads: A Visual Journey through the American West –
Meriwether Lewis’ presentation style pipe tomahawk and other rare Native American objects serve as the centerpiece of this story of America’s West in the 19th and early 20th centuries. More than 100 paintings and sculptures by artists ranging from Thomas Moran and Alfred Jacob Miller to Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, and vintage photographs by Edward S. Curtis add to the narrative.
The A.P. Hays Spirit of the West Collection – See a collection of 1,400 Old West items from Scottsdale gallerist Abe Hays, including revolvers, rifles, saddles, knives, holsters, spurs, chaps, badges and more. While every artifact on display captures a part of our history, many are exceedingly rare.
For more information about the exhibits, event and programs, including admission prices and to purchase tickets, visit https://westernspirit.org/.
Western Spirit Memberships start at $75 for two guests and ticket prices run as following; $28 for adults, $25 for seniors and military, $12 for students and children 6 – 17 years of age and FREE for kids 5 and under. Tickets for individual programs are just $10.