A mix of spaghetti Westerns and documented history, the Autry National Center combines several approaches—and several beloved museums—to create a multifaceted look at the West.

Two favorite museums for those interested in the mythical and historical West are now united under one name. The Autry National Center is an intercultural history center formed by the merger of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of the American West, and the Institute for the Study of the American West. But the museums haven't moved—the Center exists on two campuses. The Southwest Museum, dedicated to Native American art and artifacts, is located on the Mt. Washington campus with the Braun Research Library. It features events like an annual Navajo Rug Auction, as well as extensive collections of pottery, textiles and folk art. The other campus, near Griffith Park, houses the Center's administrative offices, the Institute for the Study of the American West, and the Museum of the American West, the brainchild of Gene Autry himself. There, families can inspect a stagecoach and be filmed as they flee a posse on a re-created Western street. Both campuses host a variety of exhibits and events, from teacher workshops and school tours to story hours and craft-making events for kids, and membership benefits now apply to both museums. —Caitlin Pike