After four years of ranking in the top five, the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville finally claimed the crown. True West Magazine – the bible of cowboy culture for 72 years – just named MoWA the Number One Western Art Museum in America for 2025.
The announcement came Wednesday night, September 3rd, at a wine reception in the museum’s outdoor pavilion. For anyone who’s ever visited this Hill Country treasure, the news isn’t shocking. What is amazing is that our little corner of Texas now officially houses the best western art museum in the entire country.
What Makes MoWA Special
“The Museum of Western Art is where cowboy culture becomes fine art,” says Johnny D. Boggs, Publisher of True West Magazine. The selection process wasn’t casual – they evaluated exhibits, facilities, digital accessibility, events, and how well each museum promotes historic and cultural resources.
But here’s what the judges might not have captured in their official criteria: this is where tradition meets imagination, where kids can learn directly from master artists using techniques rooted in Renaissance realism.
What you’ll find at MoWA:
- Direct access to working artists who’ll explain their techniques and inspiration
- Hands-on learning opportunities for all ages
- Volunteer programs that connect art lovers across generations
- A community where your background doesn’t matter – just your curiosity
Real Artists, Real Stories
You won’t find velvet ropes and “don’t touch” signs everywhere at MoWA. This is a place where you can actually talk to artists, hear straight from the horse’s mouth what that painting means, what the artist wanted you to see, and how different viewers interpret the same work.
Kids walk away understanding brushwork and color theory. Adults discover new ways to see the world around them – like putting on beauty filters for real life. Whether you’re 8 or 80, you’ll leave inspired to do better, be better, and spread that joy to others.
A Win for All of Us
Darrell Beauchamp, MoWA’s Executive Director, knows what this recognition means for Kerrville and the Hill Country. “We’ve ranked in the top five museums for four years now, so achieving top status is thrilling. It not only recognizes our growth as a museum that attracts nationally recognized artists and a global audience, but it’s an asset our community gets to share.”
That community connection is what sets MoWA apart from big city museums. True West Magazine reaches over 22,000 subscribers nationwide – people who live and breathe western art and culture. Now they’re all looking at Kerrville, Texas.
More Than Pretty Pictures
This isn’t just about paintings hanging on walls. MoWA creates connections – between artists and visitors, between different generations, between people who might never meet otherwise but find common ground in appreciating beauty and craftsmanship.
Volunteers become family. Visitors become regular supporters. Artists become teachers. Kids discover they have artistic talent they never knew existed. It’s the kind of place where age, gender, and background fade away because everyone shares the same wonder at what human creativity can accomplish.
Your Chance to Experience #1
The Museum of Western Art sits at 1550 Bandera Highway in Kerrville – close enough for a day trip, special enough to plan a weekend around. With this national recognition, expect more visitors and more incredible exhibits.
But don’t let the fancy award intimidate you. This is still the same welcoming place where curiosity matters more than art degrees, where questions are encouraged, and where you’ll walk out seeing the Hill Country landscape with completely new eyes.
Ready to see what #1 looks like?
- Address: 1550 Bandera Highway, Kerrville
- Phone: (830) 896-2553
- Website: museumofwesternart.com
True West Magazine got it right. The best western art museum in America isn’t in Santa Fe, Jackson Hole, or any big city. It’s right here in our Texas Hill Country, where cowboy culture really does become fine art – and where every visitor becomes part of the story.
