This is a fun stop either for families with kids who want a stretch and a small amount of digestible info or for those who are interested in learning a little more. There is a neat film and plenty of regional info. The staff are friendly and helpful. The taxidermied buffalo is cool for kids who have never (hopefully) gotten that close to a dangerously live one. The huge bronze statues are both fascinating to look at and beautiful to use as a family photo backdrop. This is worth the detour whether it's for five minutes or an hour. It is especially good if you are headed out to Monument Rocks.
This is a great spot for information about Buffalo Bill and the history of the area at that time. The statue is beautiful and the new building is very nice. Great job, Oakley. Pair this stop with the Fick Museum, and you'll have a great hour break from traveling the long I-70 corridor.
The impressive cast bronze statue is 2x life-sized and a lot of thought has gone into the presentation and the piece itself. You can ascend the wheelchair accessible hill and view it up close even if the museum is closed. There is a nice old-timey face-cutout at the parking lot where your friends and family can pose as if they are Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, and maybe one of their kids if they ever had any which is a nice rumor to start. The museum itself is about a third giftshop, a third museum displays, and the rest serves as meeting rooms for the Oakley area, presumably for public large meeting events like town halls. This is a nice addition to the area and a must see place if you find yourself in the Oakley area.
The center is closed on Sundays, which is a shame. They should look into changing that, at least in the summer. The statue is huge and very cool. It's very easy to find off of Hwy 83 and it's worth the stop to see it. There is a very nice information board near it, so you can get a bit of history. Oakley does have some other sites to see, so if you are in the site seeing mode, stop and see it!
We found this site through Roadside America. It was an action statue of Buffalo Bill while hunting a buffalo. (It makes a good picture to stand in front of the gun as if trying to stop Buffalo Bill from shooting the poor animal!). Interesting facts from the past!
This bigger-than-life presentation was created by an artist living in Leoti, Kansas. He was trained in Loveland, Colorado, the home of many bronze sculptures. Don't just drive by and think, "Oh, cool!" Stop! Take a little walk up the hill. You can handle it! You may be amazed at the sheer size of Cody and his horse, as he is taking aim at the huge buffalo. People drive by the exhibit every day and have no idea how impressive it really is.
I like quirky attractions. I found this site on our first family cross country trek back in 2012. I actually found it because it features a hidden geocache. We drove back across country in 2014 on our second Rocky Mountain vacation and I stopped by the statue again.In 2012 there was a small log cabin that served as the gift shop & welcome center. In 2014 we were surprised to find a brand new Kansas welcome center with a nice gift shop, clean restrooms and full complement of staff. The new welcome center has all the local maps and brochures for trip ideas, etc. The staff is comprised of local people and they are very friendly and welcoming.Take the small detour off the interstate and check the monument out. It is a fun detour.
Very nice facility for a wedding reception. Great sculpture outside. Clean and all on one level so no stairs to climb. Clean restrooms.
Went on a trip and had Oakley on our list to see several things and this was one. I checked the hours online to make sure they would be open and it said they were but we got there and they are closed on Sundays.
Loved the sculpture. Walk different ways around it to see varied perspective. The museum was cool. Fun little gift shop. I hope to oh back someday!