The Annual John Wayne Day Weekend Celebration May 24-26, 2025
John Wayne. The name evokes strength, grit, and dignity. These values defined both his roles on screen and his life off screen. While his iconic films brought those values to life, his greatest role may have been his real-life fight against cancer and the legacy he left behind.
Today, visitors to Fort Worth can explore that legacy at John Wayne: An American Experience, recently named “Best Museum in Fort Worth” by Fort Worth Magazine. What began as a traveling exhibit is now a permanent destination in the Stockyards, welcoming guests from around the world.
The museum recently expanded by 30%, adding 3,500 square feet of new exhibition space for rotating exhibits. The first, The John Wayne Gun Collection: Guns that Won the West, runs through December 31, 2025. Curated in partnership with John Wayne Enterprises and the National Firearms Museum (NRA), the exhibit spans four decades of filmmaking and features iconic firearms from films such as The Big Trail (1930), True Grit (1969), Rooster Cogburn (1975) and The Shootist (1976). Highlights include the Remington 1861 New Model Army used in The Big Trail, the short-barreled, large-loop Winchester Model 1892 featured in multiple films, and a Colt 1890 Gatling gun from The War Wagon and Rooster Cogburn.
Every year around May 26, Duke’s birthday, the museum hosts John Wayne Day, a weekend celebration honoring his legacy. This year’s events take place May 24-26, and include daytime museum access with special activations, an exclusive evening event on Saturday with the Wayne family, and a relaxed Memorial Day gathering called Coffee with the Waynes. Guests can expect custom chain stitching, tastings from Gold Handle Coffee, Wayne Family Estates Wine and Duke Spirits, book signings, photo opportunities, and more. The celebration also highlights the museum’s new expansion, offering visitors even more ways to experience the life and impact of one of America’s most enduring icons. For the Wayne family, the weekend is also a chance to hear directly from fans whose lives were shaped by John Wayne’s films and values.
A second rotating exhibit, also on display through December 31, 2025, features the John Wayne Family Portfolio Collection from Andy Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians series. This ten-piece collection showcases Warhol’s pop art portraits of iconic Western figures, including John Wayne, Annie Oakley, Geronimo, and Teddy Roosevelt, alongside symbols of Native American culture. The exhibit offers a contemporary lens on the American West and provides a striking contrast to the museum’s historical artifacts.
The museum is arranged like a biography, guiding visitors through the defining moments of John Wayne’s life. In “Becoming John Wayne,” guests explore his childhood, family background and early film career. “A Life on Screen” showcases his impact on American cinema with costumes, props, and the Academy Award he won for True Grit. “A Man of the People” reveals a more personal side, with family photos, handwritten letters, and moments shared with troops, presidents, and fans. Every item on display was chosen by the Wayne family from their personal archive to reflect who Duke was in each chapter. The result is an immersive experience that captures the life and legacy of a man who helped shape the American story.
After exploring the museum, guests can visit the flagship John Wayne Stock & Supply store. The shop features leather goods, apparel, fine art, accessories, and seasonal items, all designed with timeless quality in mind. Many of the products are crafted in collaboration with American makers and reflect the character and integrity of John Wayne, himself. Shop in person or browse online at jwstockandsupply.com.
John Wayne’s legacy also lives on through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which funds research, education, and awareness programs including Block the Blaze, a youth skin cancer prevention initiative. The foundation also hosts the John Wayne Grit Series, a nationwide trail run series held in iconic Western landscapes. The John Wayne Grit Series 5K in Fort Worth will take place Saturday, November 8, 2025, in the Fort Worth Stockyards, beginning and ending in front of the museum. All proceeds support cancer research, prevention, and patient programs.
For more information, visit johnwayneae.com for museum hours, tickets, and events; jwstockandsupply.com for John Wayne–inspired goods and gear; johnwayne.org for John Wayne Cancer Foundation and Grit Series; and johnwayne.com/journal for behind-the-scenes features, brand stories, and special collaborations.
