Booth Western Art Museum | Family Fun - Booth Western Art Museum

Family Fun

Sagebrush Ranch Saddle Bags Children’s Events Kids’ Activities

Sagebrush Ranch

Sagebrush Ranch is a fun, hands-on place for children and their parents to play and learn. This gallery provides children with the opportunity to touch and interact with the exhibits and allows kids to be kids. Each activity is a learning opportunity and is themed around art and the West. Rodeo Joe, the Ranch Foreman, welcomes visitors of all ages to the Ranch but reminds visitors that Sagebrush Ranch is designed for children, but parents need to stay with their children at all times.The Stagecoach: Climb inside and take a trip out West in our 3/4-scale stagecoach. As the stagecoach rocks back and forth, children have a view of the passing desert landscape.
Faces of the West: Learn Fun Facts about the many and varied people who explored and settled the West. Take a picture of you as one of the settlers or explorers. The Artist’s Studio: Press the buttons on the checkerboard located on the front porch to hear cowboy songs, poetry and jokes. Play “I Spy”, weave on a real loom, draw a horse or buffalo, paint with water, experiment with color mixing and value or check out the effect that light has on sculpture. Play the Trail Drive Game.
The Horse: Mount the horse and take pictures in front of a Western backdrop. For that authentic look, children can dress in the Western wear in the Bunkhouse before saddling-up. Find out how many “hands” tall you are compared to the horse. The Bunkhouse: Dress in Western wear and use the mirrors to draw yourself as a Cowboy or Cowgirl. Play the Trail Drive Game, learn about the different horses that helped settle the West and match sounds of the West with artwork from the Museum’s collection. Play a game of checkers.
Tall Tales Barn: Watch TV and make discoveries about the Museum. Put on your own puppet show with Rodeo Joe and his friends. Sit in one of the beanbags and read a book about the West and the people who live there. The Chuck Wagon: Be the Chuck Wagon cook at this replica of the Cowboy’s home away from home. The chuck wagon is outfitted with all the things necessary to cook up enough grub for the whole family. The Puzzle Corral: Select a rodeo chute and enjoy a hands-on activity related to artwork in the Booth collection. Chute #1 – Recreate Native American bead-work. Chute #2 – Put together puzzles of two famous gunfighters-Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Chute #3 – Create your own painting by placing magnetic characters against a Western landscape. Chute #4 – Take apart three-dimensional puzzles and put them back together. Chute #5 – Create your own designs on the large clay pot using magnetic shapes.
The Branding Station: Make a brand for your own ranch using pencils, paper and the wood blocks at the branding station. Use the small branding iron to brand the cow and hear the sound he makes. Barrel Computer Stations: Use these interactive computer based art programs to learn about the elements of art like line, shape and color.

Thank you for visiting Sagebrush Ranch. Come back again!

Rodeo Joe
Ranch Foreman

Saddle Bags

Be sure to ask about getting a Saddlebag for your child during your visit to the Museum. The Saddlebag is filled with family activities to be done throughout the Museum to help get your child actively engaged in the art.

Saddlebags can be checked out from the information desk on the main floor of the Museum.

Children’s Events


Cowboy Poetry Gathering Saturday, March 9, 2013, 10:00 am – 6:00 pmEnjoy the Southeastern Chuck Wagon Cook-off, music contests, children’s art activities and the finals of the Writing through Art Literacy Contest. More information on our Cowboy Poetry Gathering page.
	Booth Birthday Party & Member Appreciation Day August 24, 2013, 10:30 am – 3:30 pmCelebrate the Booth’s 10th Birthday with a day full of activities including continuous entertainment in the Booth Theatre, art activities throughout the building, and a free lunch for members.
Cowboy Festival and Symposium October 24-27, 2013 On Saturday, October 26, and Sunday, October 27, enjoy activities especially for children in Cowpoke Corner such as pony rides, face painting, horse shoes, calf roping, horse painting, and more.

Kids’ Activities

“Concord Stagecoach “Coach 84″

Before passenger railroad cars made their appearance in the West, the Stagecoach was a major means of passenger travel. This activity will use the Booth Museum’s Coach 84 to help students learn some interesting math, physics and architectural concepts about its construction and use. Learn some Stagecoach fun facts and print a Stagecoach coloring sheet.

Click here to learn more about Coach 84

Say Kids,

Can you help Rodeo Joe find these words in the puzzle below?

Cowboy, Indian, Lariat, Buffalo, Horse, Chuck wagon, Cowgirl, Cattle, Stagecoach, West

Search word for kids