The exhibit, which runs through the end of the year is described as “part art show, part wake, part Wild West showdown,” features bold work by Bob Boze Bell, Thom Ross and Buckeye Blake
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is pleased to announce a partnership with True West Magazine to bring The West’s most well-known and notorious outlaw figuratively back to life in the exhibit The Resurrection of Billy the Kid opening October 4th, 2025.
The exhibition, which is part art show, part séance and part showdown, will explore, explode and reimagine the legend of Billy the Kid in a series of electric and eclectic pieces created by three noted artists: Bob Boze Bell, Thom Ross and Buckeye Blake.
For example, Bell’s high-voltage historical paintings that depict what “really” happened in his short, dramatic life will be on display, along with Ross’ surreal reimagining of the Kid’s life as a fevered frontier dance.
The end of the exhibit features a haunting, life-size sculpture of Billy on his death bed by Blake, staged like a wake complete with candles, curtains, and a guest book for mourners.
To accompany the exhibition, Western Spirit will also screen ten classic Billy the Kid movies in its newly-renovated Piper Theater. Titles include Young Guns, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and Old Henry.
Born Henry McCarty in 1859, Billy the Kid was an American outlaw and gunfighter in the Old West. He died in Fort Sumner, New
Mexico on July 14, 1881 at the age of 21 after being shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett.
“Billy the Kid may have died young, but his legend lives on,” said Andrew Patrick Nelson, Chief Curator at Western Spirit. “This exhibition and film series confront both history and the fantasy of one of the West’s most complex and fascinating outlaws.”
The new exhibit at Western Spirit, located at 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85251 will open on October 4th, 2025 and run December 31st, 2025 showcasing 20 paintings and two sculptures.
Guests are also invited to join the Billy the Kid Film Series which will also run 10/12-12/14. Those films 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.
For more information about The Resurrection of Billy the Kid exhibit, visit https://westernspirit.org/project/billy-the-kid/
Western Spirit memberships start at $75 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.
About Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West:
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is a world-class cultural destination in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, where art, history, and storytelling ignite the spirit of the American West. As a proud Smithsonian Affiliate, it’s more than a museum — it’s an experience. Western Spirit is Scottsdale’s cultural crown jewel — a Smithsonian Affiliate that brings the West to life through immersive exhibits, world-class collections, and thought-provoking programs. Housed in a stunning LEED-Gold certified building, it’s a place where locals and visitors discover the enduring legacy of the American West — and the stories that still shape us today. Whether you’re an art lover, history buff, or just curious, this is where the West lives on. For more information, call (480) 686-9539 or visit https://westernspirit.org/.