Wednesday in Wyoming - March 26, 2025

 

Although many of the exhibits at the Wyoming State Museum are related to the state, this one had international roots. Shakespeare's First Folio toured the States, and Wyoming was fortunate enough to have it on display here in 2016. 

As you can see from this month's posts, the State Museum has many things to attract visitors. If you're in Cheyenne, I highly recommend spending an hour or so there.

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 19, 2025

 

How often do you see a bear made of pencil points? My guess is, not often, but that's what was used to create this one. Like the Traveling Trout exhibit I featured two weeks ago, this was part of a statewide competition in 2008.

Once again, I'm impressed with the creativity.  

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 12, 2025

 

Do you recognize this poster? It's Smokey the Bear (or Smokey Bear if you prefer), teaching his woodland friends about the dangers humans present.

Since I told you that I was highlighting exhibits from the Wyoming State Museum, you won't be surprised to learn that this was one of a number of posters on display at the museum during the summer of 2019. 

As an aside, have you noticed that the public service announcements on TV now say, "Only you can prevent wildfires" rather than the original "Only you can prevent forest fires"? 

Wednesday in Wyoming - March 5, 2025

 

What are these? They were part of the Traveling Trout exhibit at the Wyoming State Museum in 2013. Yes, I'm focusing on "ancient history" at the museum this month. That's because some of the exhibits, although no longer on display, are worth seeing again.

As for the story behind the Traveling Trout, the National Museum of Wildlife Art in western Wyoming sponsored an art competition to celebrate its 25th anniversary year (2013). Each interested high school student was given a plain white fiberglass trout to decorate. As you can see from these two, the results were as different as the individuals who created them.

I was particularly intrigued by the green one, because it was made from soda containers. If you find that hard to believe, look at this closeup.

That's my idea of creativity!

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 29, 2025

 

What is this? It's a fully beaded Lakota horse mask created around the turn of the last century.

I had never seen anything like it and was fascinated by the fact that so few (less than fifty) historical horse masks are still in existence. I also hadn't realized that they were used for both battle and ceremonial reasons. This, as you might guess from the flags on it, was designed as a parade mask.

Wouldn't it have been fun to see a horse wearing this as he marched in an Independence Day parade?

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 22, 2025

 

Even though it's not technically a quilt, the Wyoming State Museum included this piece of fabric art as part of the quilt exhibit. 

Entitled "Don't Forget Your Mask," it's a reminder of what life was like five years ago. 

Did you notice that the artist used buttons to represent eyes above the masks? I thought that was clever.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 15, 2025

 

In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Wyoming State Museum has several areas devoted to special exhibits. 

As you can tell, this one was devoted to quilts. I'm not a quilter, but I enjoyed seeing the way quilt patterns changed over the decades. 

This crazy quilt struck me as a good way to use up fabric remnants. Now all I need is time ...

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 8, 2025

 

Among the many exhibits in the Wyoming State Museum are several devoted to the state's prehistoric animals. If you're interested in dinosaurs, this is the state to visit.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 1, 2025

 

Happy New Year!

This looks almost real, doesn't it? Of course, if it were real, I doubt the prairie dogs would be out of their burrows, and the jackrabbit would probably be running as fast as it could to escape the predatory coyote. 

As you probably guessed, this is a diorama. It's also one of the first exhibits visitors to the Wyoming State Museum encounter. I've seen it dozens of times, but I always stop to admire it when I go to the museum, because I love the way it introduces visitors to the variety of wildlife and plants that make their home in Wyoming.

If you'd like more information, here's their website.

Wednesday in Wyoming - June 29, 2022

 

When I saw this sign on display at the State Museum in downtown Cheyenne, I nodded in agreement.

It's true: the state I now call home is unique.

Wednesday in Wyoming - May 26, 2021

 

Rounding out our second month of museum visits is one very close to home for me, the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne.

In addition to permanent exhibits, the State Museum has periodic special exhibits, including this one from several years ago which featured Shakespeare's First Folio.

With something for just about everyone, the State Museum should be on your "must see" list when you come to Cheyenne.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 29, 2020

We've reached the last Wednesday in January, so this will be my final Smokey Bear poster.

Did you enjoy seeing them? I hope so.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 22, 2020

Remember the equation Smokey Bear taught in last week's poster? Here's the result -- a careless camper leaving a fire still burning.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 15, 2020

Who knew that Smokey Bear taught mathematics to the forest animals?

This equation -- man plus fire equals burned tree -- is, unfortunately still true.

Did you notice the fire alarm next to the poster? I know it was only coincidental, but I liked the juxtaposition.

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 8, 2020

Here we see a tired Smokey Bear holding a message: Please Prevent Forest Fires.

Although that one and the famous "Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires" are direct appeals to everyone who sees the poster, the first Smokey Bear poster had a different message. It said "Care WILL prevent 9 out of 10 woods fires!"

Notice the differences. It's not a personal appeal, and instead of saying "forest fires," it calls them "woods fires."

Which do you think is more effective?

Wednesday in Wyoming - January 1, 2020

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade!

Did you know that Smokey Bear (no, it's not Smokey THE Bear) had his 75th birthday last year? August 9, 1944 was the big day. In celebration of his 75 years as a spokesbear for fire safety, the Wyoming State Museum had an exhibit of some of Smokey's posters last summer.

Don't worry if you can't make out the details. I'm going to feature some of my favorites this month. So ... come back next week to see more of Smokey.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 31, 2019

Wyoming's state mammal is the bison, so it's only fitting that there would be a bison at the State Museum. What makes this exhibit more interesting than might be apparent at first glance is that the base of the poles are not ordinary metal circles but are bison-shaped.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 17, 2019

This doesn't look like a particularly exciting exhibit, does it?

The boxes may look ordinary, but what's inside is anything but ordinary. This exhibit, which traveled to the Wyoming State Museum earlier this year, contains fossils from a tapiromorph.

If you're like me, you've never heard of a tapiromorph. I knew about tapirs, because I'd seen one in a zoo, but tapiromorph was a new word for me. The short version of a long story is that it's a prehistoric animal that appears to be closely related to modern tapirs.

Here's more information about tapirs in general and the techniques used to identify the fossils.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 10, 2019

It's not easy to remove fossils from the earth. This exhibit, which is next to the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton I showed you last week (see the tail on the left side?), shows some of the tools scientists used.

Wednesday in Wyoming - July 3, 2019

One of the largest exhibits in the Wyoming State Museum is this replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. If you were wondering why it's there and so prominent, it's because Wyoming is noted for its fossils, including those of dinosaurs.

The quotation on the back wall says, "There is no square on earth as rich as Wyoming in its fossil forms of extinct life. From the Permian ... to modern annals, nearly all of the life that ever lived upon the earth can be found within the limits of the state. -- Curator William H. Reed, University of Wyoming, 1899"

Who knew that the Equality State was also a treasure trove for fossil hunters?