By Eileen Ogintz
Can you find an artwork with an animal you’d like to see one day? It shouldn’t be difficult. Especially where we are – in the unique National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole WY.
The museum is chockablock with paintings and sculptures by great wildlife artists. There are renditions of bears and horses, foxes and birds, elk and moose, bison, even bunnies. There are also lions and zebras, leopards, and more from Africa
The collection represents more than 550 artists including Georgia O’Keefe, Carl Rungius and John Clymer, whose studio is recreated here showing the meticulous research he did for his work. There is also an outdoor dog-friendly sculpture trail overlooking the National Elk Refuge featuring 21 works of art, including new ones like the Origami-inspired Prismatic Menagerie with five bright sculptures by the artist known as Hacer out of steel. There are four sculptures a bear, a rabbit, a coyote, and a canine. Three Bison are expected to be added.
If you think looking at wildlife paintings would be boring for kids, think again. This museum, near Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and adjacent to the National Elk Refuge, where thousands of elk spend the winter, is a terrific introduction to what kids might see in the wild.
Cards inspire kids to look at the art differently:
“Animals are everywhere…where will you find animals next?” one card asks.
“What do you think is happening in this artwork?” another asks.
“Find a work of art you like…what is its title? If you could give this work a new title, what would you name it?” asks another.
There is an app to download for a deeper dive and a terrific Discovery area where kids can cozy up with a book, dress up as an animal or create their own artwork. There is a touch table encouraging kids to explore natural textures, another about patterns (“Can you find the pattern in the natural world?), and another area where they are invited to make their own clay sculpture. In another gallery, kids’ art is displayed. One was a picture of a trout with a caption “I just realized I swim where I go to the bathroom.” Another was tagged “Archie the Bison,” and “Shrimp of a man,” with a hat on.
There is also a scavenger hunt for kids. Can they find a bear with a tutu… a man photographing a bear… a deer painted by a woman… a painting with 1000 birds, even a LEGO masterpiece.
Art education experts tell me creating a scavenger hunt, even using postcards from the museum store, is a great way to engage children as they explore an art museum.
The in-house restaurant Palate, with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the Elk Refuge, is very popular and compliments the collection with inventive dishes made with seasonable and local ingredients. The sister location, Gather, is open in downtown Jackson.
There was delicious mushroom and lentil soup, game stew, citrus braised beet salad, as well as a Bison Gyro, elk, meatloaf wrap, French onion grilled cheese, and chicken salad sandwich among the choices. (For kids, there is fruit, salad, hamburger, mac and cheese and grilled cheese.)
We ended the day at the iconic Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in the historic Wort Hotel in Jackson Hole which also features live music. It opened in 1950 and attracts locals, ranchers as well as many tourists.
Across the street, is one of the newest additions to Jackson Hole, Code Red Tacos. The restaurant boasts that it is where East LA style taqueria meets the Wild West, and my family declared it the best meal we’ve had in a place with many great eateries.
There were chips with excellent guacamole and queso dip; quesadillas with a choice of pork al pastor, green chili chicken or beef barbacoa, tostadas including with ahi tuna, an assortment of street tacos (just $5 each) chicken and Maiz, Elk Carne Asada, Veggie, citrus braised pork shoulder and more.
I loved the pozole that comes with four different sauces and can be topped with beef, chicken, or pork.
The margaritas were great too…a great affordable addition to the Jackson Hole food scene!