The Autry National Center, formerly known as the Museum of Western Heritage, was co-founded by movie star Gene Autry his wife Jackie, and Monte and Joanne Hale. With the opening of the Museum in 1988, Gene Autry realized his dream "to build a museum which would exhibit and interpret the heritage of the West and show how it influenced American and the world."

Autry National Center celebrates the history of the American West through three related institutions: Museum of the American West, Southwest Museum of the American Indian, and the Institute for the Study of the American West. The parent organizations of these museums, Autry National Center, was established in 2003 following the merger of the Southwest Museum, the Women of the West Museum, and the Museum of the American West (formerly the Autry Museum of Western Heritage).

Through innovative exhibitions, a broad range of programs and extensive collection of art and artifacts, the Autry National Center explores the distinct stories and interactions of cultures and peoples, and their impact on the complex, evolving history of the American West.

Autry National Center Mission Statement

"The Autry National Center explores the experiences and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inform our shared future."

Autry National Center Address:
Gene Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027 

Phone: (323) 667.2000

Website: http://www.autrynationalcenter.org