From the BBHC web site:
On Friday, February 26, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody invites the community to a free “Family Friday” birthday party from 5–8 p.m. The highlight of an evening filled with activities for everyone, the dramatic reading of the dime novel Buffalo Bill’s Victories begins at 6:30 p.m. with an open invitation for anyone to join local celebrity guests and step up to the mic to read a page or two from the adventure.
But first, the party kicks off with the rousing tunes of the Buffalo Bill Band, under the direction of Dr. Mike Masterson of Northwest College, playing music of the Wild West show era. The band performs from 5-7 p.m. in the breezeway to the Cody Firearms Museum.
To make the evening especially family-friendly, kids of all ages can make their own memento of the celebration by creating a Wild West show poster to take home, with the original, larger-than-life posters on exhibit in the Buffalo Bill Museum as inspiration.
At 5:30 p.m., Buffalo Bill Museum Curator Dr. John Rumm offers a glimpse into the workings of the Wild West show in his presentation "Backstage with Buffalo Bill." Colorful stories and vignettes drawn from Rumm’s research into first-person accounts, diaries, historical photographs, and period newspaper articles illuminate the workings of Cody’s large and logistically challenging show. The program takes place 5:30-6:15 p.m. in the Coe Auditorium.
The McCracken Research Library shares some of its original material related to Buffalo Bill—memorabilia acquired by the library recently that has not previously been on exhibit. The items will be on display outside the Coe Auditorium, and include, among other things, photographs, a Wild West program and other show ephemera, and an 1879 serialized dime novel.
Buffalo Bill Museum Reinstallation Exhibit Designer Nick Paffett provides a preview of upcoming design plans for the renovation of the gallery in 2012. An innovative blend of traditional yet engaging museum exhibits with technology, the new gallery will appeal to an audience of all ages and interests. Paffett will talk about themes, floor plan, and the planning process, and answer questions throughout the evening.
Edible fare for the festivities includes Buffalo Bill’s favorite dish, fried chicken—Buffalo Bill wings served up by the Historical Center’s Mustang Grill, along with other refreshments and birthday cake. A cash bar is also available.
The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is now operating its winter schedule through February 28: open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, closed Monday through Wednesday. Spring hours of 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily begin March 1. For general information, call 307.587.4771 or visit http://www.bbhc.org/
