Event Details

Advertising the Frontier Myth: Poster Art of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West gained and retains its recognition due in part to the popularity of its namesake, but also due to its tremendous marketing success. Cody’s team of marketers, led by Major “Arizona John” Burke, produced countless posters highlighting the presentation’s scale and drama.

The poster collection includes more than 300 originals, from smaller posters for window display to enormous billboard-sized works. This special exhibition, Advertising the Frontier Myth: Poster Art of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, invites audiences to explore the captivating world of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.

The exhibition is based on the award-winning book, Art and Advertising in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West (2019), by guest curator Dr. Michelle Anne Delaney of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.