Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

Purpose: Supporting Lifelong Learning In May 2003, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center completed a $4.5 million expansion program that increased the center's size from 3,500 square feet to 14,000 square feet. The expansion includes major, state-of-the-art museum displays and galleries designed to attract and educate youth and adults. The Old Chisholm Trail's economic and social context, and its cultural impact on western art, entertainment, and music, all provide a wealth of resources that contribute to learning opportunities. In this project-as part of its three-year Museums for America grant-the center will expand its education program offerings to meet documented youth and adult learning needs within its area of access. The grant will enable the center to (1) expand its in-museum and outreach learning programs to help rural schools meet state-mandated minimum education standards in history, social studies, art, and music; (2) offer adult-level lecture series featuring prominent historians, educators, and western-themed writers; and (3) develop its Web site into a major learning resource including interactive learning activities to be used by youth and adults.