Is the National Museum of Wildlife Art Worth It? A Different Kind of Museum Visit

travelertina

08:04:00 April 20, 2026

US,US: The American West

Had it not been rainy and cold, we might have missed the National Museum of Wildlife Art altogether. After all, a visit to Jackson, Wyoming, is supposed to be all about the outdoors: hiking, skiing, floating down the Snake River on a raft. You don’t think, “this will be a museum trip.” But perhaps you should, especially if your curiosity drives you to a love of animals and art. I can only tell you that I’m so glad that it rained when we were in town. So is the National Museum of Wildlife Art worth it? I’d say yes.

Interior view of wildlife sculptures beneath a wolf painting mounted on stone walls at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

The National Museum of Wildlife Art: Animals at the Heart

There are so many animals here, rendered so differently. They are grand …

Close-up of a grand bison emerging through dust and mist, a painting that makes the National Museum of Wildlife Art worth it

… they are in motion …

Dynamic painting of a white hare leaping as a red fox lunges in the snow, capturing motion at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

… they are textured …

Painting of two peacocks displaying iridescent green tail feathers beneath a fruiting tree at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

… and they stand in quiet stillness.

Landscape painting of deer standing quietly along a lakeshore with the Tetons behind them at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

It’s just breathtaking, all of these animals in such varied settings. Animals are unabashedly the focus here, from the birdstones that predate Christ by at least 2,000 years to the Lego brick Chinese zodiac portraits by Ai Weiwei (if you want more photos, you’ll find a gallery at the end).

If you’re worried — as my mom was — that this will be a museum of hunting and fishing, rest assured that it is not. And while the museum has its roots in animal art from the western US, it has worked to expand past those historical roots. You’ll find animals from Africa, Asia, and Europe.

I should note, though, that this museum focuses largely on land-based charismatic megafauna. If you’re looking for insects or tropical fish, you’re out of luck, unless you hit the right special exhibit on the right day. But there’s so much wonderful material to see and think about that you probably won’t notice.

Encouraging Exploration and Inquiry

I’m a huge fan of the curation at the National Wildlife Museum. The curators don’t just explain the art — they ask you to stop, slow down, and consider it. The visit starts with an invitation to pick up a set of “conversation cards” with prompts to guide your exploration, such as, “Why do people make art about animals?”

The museum also organizes the information on its labels with these icons:

Gallery panel explaining icon labels used at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, including "biography" and "ponder"

As you wander, you’ll sometimes find a “Ponder” question next to a piece, such as, “Compare this painting with others in the room. What shifts in color do you see?” (This follows a “Biography” note in which you learn that the artist Carl Rungius likely suffered from cataracts or macular degeneration later in life, which affected his perception of color).

Carl Rungius painting of bighorn sheep on a rocky ridge, using an unexpected cool-toned palette at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

You’ll also find an entire gallery framed around conservation, where the central question is: “Can a work of art help save a species?” I appreciated being given the space to contemplate the relationship between art and species preservation.

With questions guiding your visit, each painting asks you to linger and wonder. This museum is not immersive in a tech sense — you won’t find many buttons or videos — but you will find yourself immersed in the works themselves. And if this question-driven approach intrigues you, I’ve written a companion post that dives more deeply into how this museum explores the way we see animals.

Spending Time With Carl Rungius

One of the true delights of the National Museum of Wildlife Art is the chance to spend time with the work of Carl Rungius, generally considered the first career wildlife artist in North America. You’ll find an entire gallery dedicated to his work.

Gallery wall of small Carl Rungius landscape studies arranged around a central bear painting at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Rungius was a German artist who was part of a movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to go paint in the wilderness. Breaking with earlier artistic traditions, which had artists paint taxidermied models or zoo captives, Rungius struck out for the American West in 1895 and pretty much never left. He painted dramatic landscapes and striking animals, working first in Wyoming and eventually in the Canadian Rockies.

It’s rare to be able to home in on a single artist and really try to understand their oeuvre, and I was glad that this museum gave me the space in which to do so.

Carl Rungius painting of a solitary grizzly bear walking across a snowy alpine slope beneath mountains at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

If you’re like me, you won’t have heard of Rungius before visiting the museum. But you’ll enjoy getting to know his work.

Inside the Clymer Studio

You don’t often get to peek inside an artist’s workshop, but the museum transports you directly into the John and Doris Clymer Studio.

Recreated John and Doris Clymer Studio at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, showing easel, tools, sketches, and reference objects

It’s all here, every last one of John Clymer’s paintbrushes and all of Doris’ carefully researched notes. The museum has laid out the studio as it stood in the Clymers’ home, so you gain real insights into how they worked when you walk inside.

The bonus? This gallery space offers pencil and paper, inviting you to draw your own wildlife art. It’s another moment to slow down, look around, and think about how to portray animals.

Wyoming Landscape Drama at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

You’ve probably traveled to Jackson to see the national parks, and you’ll see those familiar places reflected in a number of the artworks. It’s also interesting to see how artists situate animals within these spaces, from the birds barely visible in this painting of the Great Falls of the Yellowstone …

Monumental Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone landscape painting with waterfall and sunlit peaks at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

… to the moose front and center in front of the Tetons …

Moose painting set in the Grand Tetons at sunrise, showing what makes the National Museum of Wildlife Art worth it

… to the elk stretched far out across the National Elk Refuge.

Panoramic winter painting of an elk herd crossing snowy plains beneath blue mountains at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Landscapes become part of the animals’ stories, as we look at the wilderness they inhabit and how they move within it.

Animal Art Outdoors: The Sculpture Trail

If you want to see how animals weave into this western landscape on a larger scale, don’t miss the easy, 3/4-mile Sculpture Trail.

Bison-shaped stone sculptures on the Sculpture Trail, part of what makes the National Museum of Wildlife Art worth it

In addition to thinking about art in the wild, you’ll enjoy amazing views and the opportunity to interact with the art. You’re encouraged to have fun — those bison have a sign that says, “Climb on Me!” — but resist the urge to ride the life-size bronze moose, where the sign reads: “Please do not climb on sculpture. The moose doesn’t like it and neither does security.”

Life-size bronze moose sculpture along the Sculpture Trail with sweeping valley views at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Bright green angular animal sculpture installed against stone walls along the driveway at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Take your time, both here and inside the museum. That invitation is what makes this museum different. It’s a special place.

A Few Visit Tips for the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Opening Days & Times: Check the museum’s official website for hours.
Entry Fee: There is a charge for the museum, though the Sculpture Trail is free. You can purchase tickets here.
How Long to Spend: Give yourself two to three hours to fully enjoy the experience.
Food: The cafe is popular, both for its food and for the views. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Pay Attention to the Little Things, like paw prints in the flooring. And make sure to pick up a set of conversation cards.

You can continue the thread in How Do We See Animals? A Visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson and 7 Days in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons: Short Walks & Big Wildlife, both posts coming soon.