Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
Following the opening of the Louis Sands IV Center, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is introducing a series of private group experiences designed to provide a closer look at the museum’s $12 million expansion and four new exhibitions.
The program, titled Unmistakably West: Inside the Expansion, will launch in fall 2026 and offer private guided tours for community, educational, cultural and civic groups at the museum, 3830 N. Marshall Way in Old Town Scottsdale. The experiences will include curator- and docent-led tours of the museum’s newest galleries and exhibitions, according to a press release.
“Whether people have already toured the new expansion or this is their first time to visit the Louis Sands IV Center, we look forward to sharing in-depth and meaningful museum experiences with everyone,” said Todd Bankofier, CEO of Western Spirit Museum. “We hope this new program will help visitors feel a deeper sense of engagement with, and a connection to, our beautiful museum.”
The 60-minute experiences are designed to provide visitors with additional context about the artwork, artists and history featured in the new galleries.
Tour options
Hosted Experience
Led by a museum docent or storyteller, the hosted experience includes:
- Private group access
- Expanded interpretation beyond the standard public tour
- $25 per person group admission rate
Curator-Led Experience
Available from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, the curator-led experience includes:
- Insight into how the collections were developed
- Discussion of curatorial decisions
- Context on significant works in the exhibitions
- Opportunities for questions and discussion
- $25 per person group admission rate, plus a $500 curator-led experience fee for groups of 10 or more
Private Reception Experience
Also available from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, the reception experience includes:
- Private or after-hours access
- A reception in the sculpture garden or museum lobby with champagne and light charcuterie
- An additional $1,500 reception fee
Four new exhibitions
The Louis Sands IV Center is a 12,000-square-foot expansion that opened in March and added four galleries to the museum.
The new exhibitions include:
Working Pardners: Masterworks from the Eddie Basha Collection
Drawn entirely from the Eddie Basha Collection, the exhibition features Western American and American Indian art by artists including Joe Beeler, Martin Grelle, Howard Terpning and Cecil Calnimptewa.
From Earth to the Stars
The exhibition explores American Indian jewelry traditions, highlighting the relationship between natural materials, artistry and cultural expression through works by artists including Charles Loloma, Preston Monongye and the Yazzie family.
Visions in Bronze
This exhibition examines how bronze sculpture has shaped interpretations of the American West, featuring works from artists spanning more than a century.
Fire of Ages
Showcasing more than six centuries of American Indian ceramic traditions, the exhibition features works from the Allan and Judith Cooke Collection and the Arthur and Linda Pelberg Family Collection.
Museum officials said the new galleries emphasize storytelling and deeper engagement with the art and history of the North American West.
