Knowing the West
May 2–August 9, 2026
Knowing the West embraces preexisting impressions of the American West and presents a wide variety of artwork from diverse makers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing essential and often overlooked stories of the region.
Conociendo el Oeste abarca las impresiones preexistentes del Oeste estadounidense y presenta una amplia variedad de obras de arte de diferentes artistas desde el siglo XIX hasta principios del siglo XX, donde se exhiben historias significativas, y muchas veces olvidadas, de la región.
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Mythologized notions of the American West, when examined in isolation, ignore the nuances of a period characterized by persistence, resilience, creativity, conflict, and exchange. Organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Knowing the West seeks to reframe the West not as a fixed place but as a shifting narrative shaped by countless makers, histories, and lived experiences. The exhibition’s dazzling array of objects and artwork—including paintings, basketry, textiles, pottery, sculpture, beadwork, saddles, and prints—encourages dialogue across media, uplifting historically marginalized perspectives and questioning long-standing hierarchies. The interplay of these works by artists from various cultures, including white, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and a wide range of distinct Native nations, compels reconsideration of what the West has meant, and continues to mean, to communities across generations.
Knowing the West Member Preview Day
Knowing the West Exhibition Opening Panel Discussion
Spring Teacher Tuesday: Special Exhibition Access for Educators
Western North Carolina Art and Craft Showcase
Plan Your Visit
Knowing the West is on view in East Building, Level B, Meymandi Exhibition Gallery.
More information on parking and Museum hours
- Free for members and children 6 and under
- $20 Adults
- $17 Seniors age 65 and older
- $12 Students (ages 7–22)
Exhibition Store
Wednesday–Sunday 10 am–5 pm
NCMA Café
Wednesday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm, for coffee service
Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am–3 pm, for lunch and brunch service
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Artist once known (Nimiipuu [Nez Perce]), Saddle Blanket (detail), circa 1885, wool, glass beads, Chinese coins, 40 × 48 in. (sight), National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1983.06.12
Maria Martinez and Julian Martinez (San Ildefonso Pueblo), Storage Jar, 1926, clay and paint, 16 × 18 3/4 in., Courtesy of the School for Advanced Research, Indian Arts Fund purchase for the permanent collection, 1928; Photo: Addison Doty
José Rafael Aragón, La Santisima Trinidad, circa 1826–55, wood, H. 22 × W. 16 × D. 8 in., Tia Collection, Santa Fe, NM; Image: James Hart Photography
Knowing the West is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, and co-curated by Mindy N. Besaw and Jami C. Powell with influence and input from a curatorial advisory council.
In Raleigh additional support is made possible, in part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; Green Front Raleigh; Nancy and Ron McFarlane; Two Dots Studio; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel.
