LA's surprisingly good Autry Museum of the American West,pt2

This 206-seat auditorium is often used for film screenings, concerts and lectures; the Autry’s new, state-of-the-art collections care, research, and educational facility in Burbank was anticipated to open in late 2022

Only Alkali Water, Frederick Remington, ca. 1906; the central focus of much of Remington's work was the disappearing of the Old West; he lamented the dwindling number of true cowboys

Continuum Basket, Gerald Clarke, 2002; made from crushed beer and soft drink cans, this work references the traditional coiled form of a Cahuilla tray basket; the cans are meant to illustrate the problems of diabetes and alcoholism among Native Americans

Untitled, Marcus Amerman, 2013; this vest was inspired by catalogs for the Burpee Seed Company; the Choctaw artist uses vivid colors and a textured 3D effect with the beadwork, an important artistic medium for Native Americans

This California-style saddle (circa 1855) depicts vaqueros roping a bear, framed by lush floral patterns; the large, square skirt on this saddle is derived from Spanish styles introduced in America beginning in the 16th century

Sunset on the Plains, Albert Bierstadt, 1902; the ongoing Art of the West exhibition showcased the dynamic and evolving world of art that springs from the cultural practices of some of the many peoples who have shaped the American West

Mountain of the Holy Cross, Thomas Moran, 1875; the Autry Museum oversees the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, founded in 1907, which is housed in a 1914 building near Glendale

Starting on November 20, 1969, 89 men, women and children occupied Alcatraz Island after the prison had closed; the 19 month occupation brought attention to Native American issues including treaty rights, representation and discrimination

Tobacco Basket (stoneware), George Blake, 1985; Native Voices at the Autry Museum of the American West has been the only equity theater that has solely focused on producing new works by Native American, Alaska Native, and First Nation playwrights since 1995

Tuscarora Bag, 1867; the Autry was established in 1988 by Gene Autry to explore and share the comprehensive story of the American West and its multiple cultures and interpret its significance

The first patent in the United States for barbed wire was issued in 1867 to Lucien B. Smith forever changing the American West; cattle could now be confined in a more cost-effective way and railroads were able to keep livestock off their tracks

A is for Apple, I is NOT for Indian, Geri Montano, 2016; this piece highlights the notorious American Indian boarding schools which were established in the late 19th century to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American culture

Large murals by Disney artist Guy Deel cover 3 interior walls at the Autry; this panel features Teddy Roosevelt, John Wayne, Sitting Bull, Will Rogers, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Clint Eastwood, Tom Mix, Gary Cooper, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Gene Autry

Produced exclusively by Colt, Gatling Guns (this is an 1893 model) saw limited action in the American West, but were sometimes used to defend US military forts or in wars against Native Americans

Annie Oakley was among the most famous female marksmen of the late 1800s; she joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show showing off her skills to royalty and large crowds as they toured Europe and the US playing hundreds of shows annually

The introduction of the revolutionary Paterson Colt forever shifted arms superiority on the frontier; I was not even aware of the Autry until I saw it highly rated on TripAdvisor and decided it sounded interesting

This Pathe Freres motion picture camera (1913) was used by Cecil B. DeMille to make the silent feature film, 'The Squaw Man,' in LA's Griffith Park; this film helped give rise to Hollywood as home to the movie industry

This Silby steam pumper was purchased through community fund raising in Carson City, NV in 1874 and used in competitions with neighboring volunteer fire departments; I wonder what they used to fight real fires