Art, history, and culture
Jackson Hole is renowned for its outdoor recreation access, but it’s also home to a thriving arts community. In fact, Jackson is ranked among the top five art markets in the country and is a perfect cultural tourism destination. From museums and galleries to theater and comedy, there’s so much to learn.
How to do it
Rainy and rest days are the perfect excuse to take in world-famous art at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. The museum features works by some of the most prominent artists past and present: Carl Rungius, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Robert Kuhn. The list goes on. Its café also offers a fine dining experience with some of the best views in the valley. Take a walk along the sculpture trail outside to get up close and personal with the area’s local fauna.
You can also spend an afternoon browsing Jackson’s many art galleries in town. Local art knows no bounds: you can find anything from traditional Western and wildlife art to the contemporary and unconventional. Local art is a great way to take a piece of your journey home with you.
At night, get a ticket to a show at the Playhouse Theater and strap in for a night of classic Western tales. The Playhouse Theater is a local, family-owned theater complete with a full saloon and restaurant. It’s dinner and a show. They also put on the “shootout” every evening on the Town Square — a reenactment of the kind of thing you’d see in a Western film, based on true events. Or treat yourself to a night of comedy with the Laff Staff, Jackson’s local improv comedy troupe.
Local inspiration
There's a long history of art and conservation working in tandem. In fact, art is largely responsible for the creation and protection of our treasured national parks. The story goes that a painting by Thomas Moran of the Grand Canyon in Yellowstone helped inspire President Ulysses S. Grant to sign the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law in 1872. It’s not hard to imagine feeling inspired by these landscapes. Create some art of your own or share a piece of Jackson Hole art that resonates with you to help people understand what it means to live by The Wild Rules.
That legacy lives on all around Jackson Hole, especially at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. The world-renowned museum showcases some of the best artistic representations of nature from around the globe. A trip through the museum is an education in itself, but the museum also hosts events and educational experience to really help visitors feel connected to nature.
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Winter Sleigh Ride
Experience an awe-inspiring horse-drawn sleigh ride among thousands of elk at the National Elk Refuge - one of the most scenic and safe ways to experience wildlife in Jackson Hole....
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