Fort Worth's National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is buckling up for a major expansion, with plans stretching across an additional 16,000-square-foot wing to the west. The museum, dedicated to the honor and spirit of women in the West, aims to enhance public engagement with new galleries and an event space capable of hosting 250 guests. Touted as the only museum of its kind, the institution celebrates the courage and pioneer spirit of cowgirls, and this expansion intends to keep that legacy alive and kicking, according to the City of Fort Worth.
The project is particularly strategic, nestled next to Dickies Arena and the forthcoming Alice Walton Cowgirl Park; it looks to welcome visitors through a new entrance facing this bustling area. Already a staple since its 1974 inception and move to Fort Worth in 1994, the museum sits proudly on city-owned land within the Will Rogers Memorial Complex, and now, with a funding boost of over $13.5 million under their belt, the museum's organizers are looking to the city to rope in the remaining $6.5 million to hit their $19 million goal, says the Fort Worth news release.
Those eager to tread the new galleries won't have to lasso the moon; with all permits and initial prep work in motion, including the mundane tasks of moving transformers and parking arrangements, the expansion is on track to break ground as early as May this year. Projected completion spans through summer 2026 with a grand opening slated to coincide with the museum's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October of the same year, the city's newswire detailed in their recent publicisation.
