JACKSON, Wyo. — History Jackson Hole (HJH), previously known as the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, invites the community to the grand opening of the new Jackson Hole History Museum at 175 East Broadway Avenue on Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Beginning at 10 a.m., free admission will be offered all day. From 5 to 7 p.m., join the history museum for Grand Opening remarks and a traditional “Shivaree Welcome,” a 19th-century tradition where someone new to the community or newlyweds were treated to a mock serenade performed with homemade instruments and noisemakers.
Afterward, guests can enjoy live music with Aaron Davis & the Mystery Machine, picnic food by Jedediah’s Catering and drinks by High Point Cider, Snake River Brewing and The Liquor Store. The event is free and open to the public, including food and drink while supplies last. Many thanks to event sponsors Jackson Hole Traveler, Jedediah’s Catering and Concessions and The Liquor Store.
For the first time in its 66-year-old history, the History Museum will own both the building and land where it operates on the historic Van Vleck Block in downtown Jackson.
“The past five years dedicated to building our new home for history on The Block will set us up for success in the next 100+ years,” HJH Executive Director Morgan Jaouen said. “This project has been a collaborative effort from its beginning with Save the Block to valuable local input during community workshops, to working with our local construction management team, donors, volunteers and many more. There are so many things to love and care about in Jackson Hole. We’re delighted to be in a new facility specifically designed to preserve and present that history for all.”
The new History Museum will invite locals and visitors to explore 11,000+ years of human history in Jackson Hole with a Main Gallery featuring an interactive Photo Wall and Artifact Wall presenting unique, local photos and artifacts from the history museum’s Collection. Two historic cabins will be on site: the Karns cabin from the late 1800s and the Shane Saddle & Tack Cabin, one of many cabins built for the movie set of Shane in 1951. Museum goers can enter the Saddle & Tack Cabin from the Main Gallery to view Jackson Hole movie history.
“As part of our mission as a community museum, we invited local experts, authors and organizations to contribute to the text in the Main Gallery and 21 writers agreed to join us. Be sure to look for local names you might recognize on the new text panels,” HJH Exhibits and Communications Director Kirsten Corbett said.
Upstairs, the Marion W. Buchenroth Classroom will offer family activities when the classroom is not being used for summer camps, after-school programs and educational events.
The nearby Cissy Patterson Gallery will show changing, community-curated and traveling exhibits, beginning with Elemental Landscapes: A Celebration of Indigenous Art, curated by Lynette St. Clair and featuring artworks from six contemporary Wind River artists.
A roof deck with trellis and canopy, which can be rented out for events along with several other spaces in the new museum, will round out the second floor. Other notable features include a downstairs Archive and Research Center, and the organization’s Museum Store which will continue to offer books and unique gifts related to Jackson Hole’s history.
Summer hours for the Jackson Hole History Museum will be Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www.jacksonholehistory.org for more information on admission costs, upcoming events and historic downtown walking tours that depart from the museum.
Following a thorough request for proposal process in 2020, HJH brought on a design team. HGA, a national interdisciplinary design firm, led the team in partnership with local architecture firm Prospect Studio, and exhibit designer Gallagher & Associates. HJH and the design team began collecting community input through a series of surveys, workshops and public presentations through 2021.
The construction team, Aufderheide Construction Management and Berning Project Management, began work on the site in September 2022. In June 2023, the project celebrated its halfway point as commemorated by a “topping out” celebration.
In response to community input, the nonprofit decided to simplify its name and brand from Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum to History Jackson Hole with the opening of the new history museum. New Thought Digital Media assisted with new branding for the nonprofit organization.
The new history museum campus will provide engaging exhibit, educational and community gathering spaces with two exhibition galleries, archive center, education classroom, historic cabins, outdoor programming space and museum store.
This primary, year-round museum will exhibit Jackson Hole’s history from indigenous peoples to the era of exploration, to permanent settlement, tourism and outdoor recreation. Exhibit development was co-curated with community partners, including the Eastern Shoshone and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and 20 additional Jackson Hole community contributors.
The history museum campus will be a community-gathering place that will anchor the character of downtown Jackson with authentic stories, objects and structures that define our local identity – past, present and future.
About History Jackson Hole
History Jackson Hole is a nonprofit whose mission is to tell the stories of Jackson Hole that connect people to the history of the valley and region. Museum staff steward and share artifacts and ideas that foster curiosity and continual learning, forge connections and inform a 21st-century dialogue. HJH envisions a community brought together, enriched and strengthened by compelling connections to the history and legacy of Jackson Hole. To learn more or to get involved visit jacksonholehistory.org.
