Join us for a tour of the new expansion at the Cowgirl Museum with architect Ewing Cole!
1 AIA Learning Unit (pending approval)
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of the expansion at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, located in the Fort Worth Cultural District. Led by the project architect Ewing Cole, this tour offers a firsthand look at the design thinking, material exploration, and technical coordination behind the museum’s 18,000-square-foot addition.
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the West. Established in 1975, the Museum is considered an invaluable national educational resource for its exhibits, research library, and rare photograph collection. The museum is in Fort Worth’s Cultural District and is situated between the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Will Rogers Memorial Center and Dickies Arena.
The expansion to the museum will add approximately 18,000sf to the existing 31,000sf museum. The new entry will be oriented to the south to greet visitors from the Alice Walton Cowgirl Park and will connect to exhibits on both levels in the existing museum which have been renovated over the past 10 years. The first floor of the expansion will feature a reception area, expanded shop, a Collections Gallery and a Photography Gallery that will spotlight powerful imagery from the past and present, chronicling the lives and legacies of cowgirls throughout history.
The second floor includes a new fashion gallery showcasing iconic Western wear and the evolution of cowgirl style. At the heart of the expansion is a full-size indoor carousel with refreshment area. The carousel, produced by Barrango of San Francisco, is 30’ in diameter and will feature 18 horses. To support its growing popularity as a community gathering place, the expansion will also include an enlarged event space capable of hosting up to 250 guests, ideal for private functions, educational programs, and public events.
Designed in conjunction with Reza Azard of PROJECTILES located in Paris, France, this expansion is constructed with full-height precast concrete panels. The materiality and finish of the concrete panels was carefully studied through several mock-ups to achieve an expression which complements the existing cast-stone and brick building but brings a bold new character to the museum. The top of the building is crowned by a bas-relief frieze depicting a galloping horse, inspired by early chronophotographs of Etienne-Jules Maray. The galloping horse represents a spirit of freedom, strength, beauty and determination.
Substantial completion is expected at the end of August and exhibit installation is scheduled through October. Grand opening for the museum is November 4th, 2026.