With a love of westerns, it’s no wonder one of my favorite museums in Los Angeles is The Autry, which is dedicated to the American west. Recently they opened Imagined Wests, an exhibit that showcases how the American West is presented in pop culture. In addition to Imagined Wests, there were a few other interesting exhibits, including Reclaiming El Camino, Sherman Indian School, and Investigating Griffith Park, as well as their permanent exhibits showcasing real artifacts of the west that always prove interesting.

Imagined Wests asks visitors “What is a Western?” and looks at the various influences that have come to represent the American West, reflecting that many things we associate with the west are not even American, from the tumbleweed to heavily embroidered western wear. The exhibit features artifacts from the westerns of television and the big screen, miniatures, works of art, clothing, and more. I especially loved the Cabinet of Curiosities, which featured an image of my favorite musician Orville Peck and even The Mandalorian, showcasing how the Western can be interpreted in many ways.

The large art piece showcasing interpretations of Land O’Lakes Butter was especially interesting. In 2020 Land O’Lakes Butter, which had featured a Native American woman known as Mia, who represented the Ojibwe people, was removed. The change was not without controversy. Patrick Des Jarlait had designed the packaging in 1954 to reflect the Narrows area where the Lower Red Lake and the Upper Red Lake join and Mia’s attire reflected that worn by the Ojibwe people. The son of the artist argued Mia was not a stereotype, but a representation of the area. Her disappearance led to social media meme of “They got rid of the Indian and Kept the Land” a reflection of how America was colonized.

I also loved seeing artifacts of famed western fashion designer Nudie Cohn on display. Nudie, who more or less pioneered rhinestones and heavy embroidery on western wear, immigrated to America from the Ukraine, and drew inspiration from the embroidery of Europe, showcasing how some of the most iconic “American” things are part of the true melting pot that America is.

While I love Zorro and much of the iconography associated the with period of Spanish Colonization of California, it was not without its more brutal side. Reclaiming El Camino reflects on how the route we now know as the El Camino Real was a common route used by the Native people of the area prior to Spanish missionaries, how the image of the iconic bell that marks the route can be a reminder of the genocide performed by the Catholic church, and more.

The Sherman Indian School exhibit uses photographs and a massive timeline to showcase the development of Indian Schools in the United States, with a focus on the various roles of the Sherman Indian School in Riverside. These schools took Native children from their homes and attempted to erase all Native culture.

The Autry is located within Griffith Park, so it is fitting the museum should do an exhibit on Griffith Park, however this exhibit is more of a temporary and hands on one. Investigating Griffith Park is interactive, as it asks visitors to share their experiences at Griffith Park to better understand how locals and visitors alike enjoy Griffith Park, while also showcasing some artifacts of the park, and information on how the park is a shared space with humans and animals.

I love how The Autry creates a balance between the authentic American West, which was brutal, and the fictionalized, and even idealized at times, versions of the western that many of us experience through film and television.

You can check out a previous visit to The Autry with more photos, including photos of past exhibits here.

Want to see some of these exhibits for yourself? Then visit soon! The Sherman Indian School exhibit ends in May, Investigating Griffith Park comes to a close at June 2, and Reclaiming El Camino closes June 15. Imagined Wests is a “long-term exhibition” with no closing date currently noted. The Autry Museum of the American West is located within Griffith Park at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles. For more information, including upcoming exhibits, ticket info and hours, please visit their website.

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