John Wayne: An American Experience
John Wayne spent five decades stepping into other people’s boots. Cowboys, soldiers, oil field firefighters — men whose lives were defined by work, danger, and duty. And somewhere along the way, between long nights on set and dust-covered locations, he developed a genuine respect for the people who actually lived those roles, particularly those who run toward danger while the rest of us step back.
This September, the Wayne family is tangibly extending that respect. First responders — police, firefighters, paramedics, paramedics, and emergency medical personnel — will receive 20% off walk-up admission to John Wayne: An American Experience with a proper ID.
The museum itself isn’t just a nod to the “Duke,” but to Marion Morrison, the man. Room by room, visitors walk through the story of a boy from Iowa who grew into a towering American icon. The Wayne family has filled the space with personal letters, family photographs, and mementos that were once tucked away in private collections. What emerges is not just the image of a Hollywood star, but a fuller portrait of the values he carried both on and off screen.
And right now, there’s even more to see. The museum’s recent expansion allows for two rotating exhibits, each as unexpected as they are essential.
The first is “The John Wayne Gun Collection – Guns that Won the West,” on display through Dec. 31. It’s an arresting walk through four decades of John Wayne films, from “The Big Trail” (1930) to “The Shootist” (1976). Highlights include the Remington 1861 New Model Army from Wayne’s very first starring role, the short-barreled large loop Winchester Model 1892 — familiar to anyone who’s watched “True Grit” or “Big Jake” — and even the Colt 1890 Gatling Gun that spit fire in “The War Wagon” and “Rooster Cogburn.”
The second rotating exhibit pulls the story in an entirely different direction. “The John Wayne Family Portfolio Collection” features ten works from Andy Warhol’s “Cowboys & Indians” series. Warhol’s bold colors and sharp lines bring new dimensions to figures like Annie Oakley, Teddy Roosevelt, Geronimo, and, of course, Wayne himself. Seen together, it’s a fascinating contrast — the grittiness of Wayne’s on-screen life paired with Warhol’s pop-art lens.
And because Wayne’s legacy was always bigger than Hollywood, visitors are also invited to support the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, a cause born out of his own battle with the disease. Donations can be made at the museum’s Stock & Supply store or online at johnwayne.org.
For Wayne, being a cowboy wasn’t an act — it was a way of life. This September, that same spirit of respect lives on in a simple gesture: a thank you to those who protect and serve, every day, without fanfare.
