Wonderful Museums: Gun Museum Cody

Above, one of the displays at the Cody Firearms Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming received a good write-up at Wonderful Museums.

If gives a detailed description on what visitors would see at the museum. I went there last July and toured it twice. 

The article begins with:

The first time I really got a deep, almost visceral understanding of the sheer historical weight and engineering genius behind firearms wasn’t from a dusty old book or a grainy documentary. No, it was when I finally made the pilgrimage to the famed gun museum Cody, officially known as the Cody Firearms Museum, nestled within the magnificent Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming. For years, I’d heard whispers, seen glimpses in magazines, and always felt this nagging curiosity about what truly made this place the “Smithsonian of firearms.” My perception, like many folks’, was probably a mix of intrigue and perhaps a touch of apprehension, fueled by a general lack of understanding about the historical context of these instruments. I wanted to move beyond the headlines and the polarized debates, to actually see and feel the history, the artistry, and the profound impact firearms have had on human endeavor. And let me tell you, what I found there didn’t just meet my expectations; it shattered them, offering an unparalleled journey into the very soul of America’s industrial and cultural story.

The Cody Firearms Museum is, without a doubt, the world’s most comprehensive collection of American firearms, presenting an exhaustive chronological and technological journey through the evolution of personal weaponry. It stands as an indispensable resource for historians, enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the intricate relationship between firearms, innovation, and the shaping of nations, particularly the United States. Its significance extends far beyond mere display; it serves as a critical repository for understanding industrial design, military strategy, and the everyday lives of people from the colonial era to the modern age, all within the robust framework of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Above, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.