Jackson · Above the National Elk Refuge · Wildlife art museum
National Museum of Wildlife Art
A stone museum built into a butte above the National Elk Refuge, with more than 5,000 works of wildlife art inside and a free sculpture trail outside.
Opens the museum’s plan-your-visit page with hours, admission and online tickets. The outdoor Sculpture Trail is free.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Art museum
Wildlife art, a sculpture trail and a café
Admission
$18 adults
Seniors $16 · first child $10 · Sculpture Trail free
Hours
Tue–Sun 10–5
From Nov 1 · daily May–Oct · closed some holidays
Time needed
1.5–2 hours
Add time for the free Sculpture Trail
Parking
Free bus parking
No RV rules posted; call before bringing a big rig
Collection
5,000+ works
Founded 1987; the building opened in 1994
What you’ll see
Wildlife art on a hill above the elk
Fourteen galleries of animal art inside, bronze wildlife along a free trail outside, and a view straight across the National Elk Refuge.
Photo: WildlifeArtJH on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
Walk the free Sculpture Trail
The three-quarter-mile Sculpture Trail, designed by landscape architect Walter Hood and opened in 2012, winds across the hillside past more than 20 wildlife sculptures. It starts at Bart Walter’s bronze elk herd, Wapiti Trail, and you can walk it without buying a museum ticket.
RV tip: From November 1 to April 30 the galleries are closed on Mondays. Plan winter visits Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.
More to see
- The collectionMore than 5,000 works of wildlife art, with names like Carl Rungius, Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol and John James Audubon.
- Children’s Discovery GalleryAn art studio, wildlife costumes, a puppet theater and a reading nook for kids, included with admission.
- Lunch at PalateThe museum restaurant has an outdoor patio; winter hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 2 pm.
- Free app and audio toursDownload the museum app for audio tours, including a family tour built around Greater Yellowstone animal sounds.
Why go
Why this museum belongs on your Jackson day
The museum was founded in 1987 and moved into its current building in September 1994. The long stone building, designed by Denver architects Fentress Bradburn, was inspired by the ruins of Slains Castle in Scotland and sits low against the butte. In 2008 Congress named it the National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States.
It is about 2.5 miles north of Town Square off US-191, on the hillside right across the highway from the National Elk Refuge. The museum publishes free bus parking but nothing on RV spaces, so most RVers will find it easier to come in the tow car, then pair it with the refuge visitor center on the way back to town.
It’s a good choice on a cold or stormy day, and in winter you can look out over the elk herd on the refuge from the hillside. Starting November 1, 2026, the galleries keep winter hours, Tuesday to Sunday.
Photo: Daniel Mayer on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Why it made our list
- Tripadvisor’s No. 1 thing to do in Jackson
- Free outdoor Sculpture Trail
- Views over the National Elk Refuge
- Kids’ gallery and family audio tour
- Lunch with a view at Palate
For RVers
Visiting the Wildlife Art Museum in an RV
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Call about big rigs
The museum says bus parking is free, so large vehicles are expected, but it doesn’t post RV spaces or length limits. If you’re bringing the motorhome rather than a tow car, call (307) 733-5771 first.
Pair it with the refuge
The museum sits across US-191 from the National Elk Refuge. The refuge visitor center at 532 N Cache St is on your way back into town, so one trip in the tow car covers both.
Mind the winter hours
From November 1 to April 30 the galleries open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, and close on Mondays. They also close on several holidays, including Veterans Day and Thanksgiving and the day after.
Dogs and the trail
The museum doesn’t publish a pet policy for the galleries or the Sculpture Trail. Plan to leave dogs at camp, or call ahead if you’d like to walk the trail with one.
What visitors say about the Wildlife Art Museum
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 30, 2026.
more than 5,000 artworks representing wild animals from around the world
National Museum of Wildlife Art, describing itself · wildlifeart.org
What we’d bring
Our own short list, not taken from reviews
Comfortable shoesBinocularsA warm layer
Tripadvisor doesn’t show review highlights for this museum, so this is our own list: shoes for the hillside trail, binoculars for the refuge view, and a layer for the wind on the butte.
What it costs
Prices from the museum’s plan-your-visit page, checked October 30, 2026. Children 4 and under get in free, and the Sculpture Trail is free.
Good to know
FreeSculpture Trail, ages 4 and under
Admission$18 adults $16 seniors, $10 first child
Extra kids$5 each additional child 5–18
MembersFree memberships from $50
Prices and hours come from wildlifeart.org’s plan-your-visit page, checked October 30, 2026. Military and local discounts apply to tickets bought on arrival.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
National Museum of Wildlife Art
- Address2820 Rungius Rd, Jackson, WY 83001
- HoursTue–Sun 10–5
From Nov 1 · daily May–Oct · closed some holidays - Phone(307) 733-5771
- Admission$18 adults, $16 seniors, $10 first child – see current prices
- Getting thereFrom Town Square, drive about 2.5 miles north on US-191 (Cache Street) and turn onto Rungius Road, across the highway from the National Elk Refuge.
- ParkingOn-site parking; the museum lists free bus parking but posts no RV spaces. Coming in the tow car is easiest.
Check wildlifeart.org or call (307) 733-5771 before you go for current hours, holiday closures and exhibits.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near the Wildlife Art Museum
The closest RV parks we’ve written up are a short drive away, and all three put the museum within a 30-minute run in the tow car.
Gros Ventre Campground
Big Grand Teton campground on the Gros Ventre River, with electric sites and room for rigs up to 45 feet.
Fireside Resort Jackson Hole
Full-hookup RV sites in Wilson on the road to Teton Village, with showers, a coin laundry and a camp store.
Snake River Cabins & RV Village
Riverside full-hookup sites south of town, best for rigs up to 30 feet, with a pathway toward Jackson.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Winter hours: Tue–Sun 10 am–5 pm
Ready to see the collection?
Check today’s hours and tickets on the museum’s site, then drive up Rungius Road to the butte above the elk refuge.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: WildlifeArtJH (Wapiti Trail sculpture; CC BY-SA 4.0), Daniel Mayer (museum building; CC BY-SA 3.0), Daniel Mayer (entrance sign; CC BY-SA 3.0), Anwestov (museum in 2012; CC BY-SA 3.0), Kendra Haste (bison head sculpture; CC BY-SA 4.0) and Daniel Mayer (refuge view; CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: National Museum of Wildlife Art on YouTube (museum overview). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with National Museum of Wildlife Art unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including published materials from the National Museum of Wildlife Art and other publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly at wildlifeart.org or (307) 733-5771. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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