Ethan Wayne, 63, spent his childhood rummaging through boxes of his father鈥檚 personal items and mementos 鈥� old photos and letters.
Legendary actor John Wayne 鈥� 鈥渢he Duke鈥� 鈥� was known for his Westerns and war movies during the Golden Age of Cinema. He died at 72 in 1979.
His belongings offered a glimpse into a decadeslong career as a cultural icon in Hollywood, Ethan said.
Now, those personal items are on display at the Fort Worth Stockyards. For five years, the Wayne family has offered fans a rare glimpse into the Duke鈥檚 early life and how his career inspired generations at the museum.
The 14,000-square-foot exhibit space features various costumes from Wayne鈥檚 career, film scripts, a firearm collection and his .
鈥淏esides being a beautiful presentation, the museum gives people a chance to get closer to the person who maybe helped them make a better decision in life or guided them through difficult times in their life,鈥� said Ethan, who serves as president of John Wayne Enterprises.
Dena Newell, director of marketing at the Stockyards Heritage Development Co., said the museum added a 鈥渞ich cultural layer鈥� to the district鈥檚 Western heritage and complements its historic character.
鈥淚ts presence has contributed to increased visitation, longer guest stays, and a deeper appreciation for the history and values that define this destination,鈥� she said in a statement.
Before Wayne鈥檚 death in 1979, the actor who was born Marion Robert Morrison distributed some of his memorabilia to close friends and crew members. His estate, John Wayne Enterprises, spent several decades to fans, museums and charity.
In recent years, family members came to an agreement that the remaining belongings in their possession should be displayed to the public, Ethan said.
鈥淎s time has passed, these items have become more and more important,鈥� he said.
In 2019, the Wayne estate launched its with 鈥淛ohn Wayne: Spirit of the West,鈥� in Las Vegas.
But, how did the Duke鈥檚 personal items make their way to Fort Worth?
Members of John Wayne Enterprises visited Cowtown on invitation from developers at the Fort Worth Stockyards in early 2020. The family instantly felt it was the perfect location to build a museum because of its gateway to Western culture, Ethan said.
The John Wayne museum opened at 2501 Rodeo Plaza in December of that year in a 10,500-square-foot space.
The museum added 3,500 feet in 2024 to , which allowed it to accommodate more guests. John Wayne Enterprises declined to share annual attendance numbers.
Glimpse into the Duke鈥檚 life
The John Wayne museum鈥檚 lighting spotlights hundreds of the Duke鈥檚 belongings seen by guests immediately upon entry.
The first section of the exhibition features Wayne鈥檚 early life in Iowa before his family relocated to Glendale, California. Items displayed include a 1925 yearbook from Glendale High School and photos of Wayne as a teenager.
鈥淚t narrates his humble beginnings,鈥� museum director Amy Shepherd said.
The next room features floor-to-ceiling images of Wayne and a screen that displays multiple videos referencing what Shepherd called the Duke鈥檚 鈥渃elebrity status,鈥� including Lady Gaga鈥檚 2016 song named after the actor.
Among the most popular of the museum鈥檚 displays is a space filled with sample scripts and corresponding references to some of the Duke鈥檚 most famous films, including 鈥淭rue Grit鈥� and 鈥淭he Big Trail.鈥� More than 10 costumes line up on mannequins along the back wall of the exhibition.
The final rooms in the museum explore Wayne鈥檚 life beyond film, with a focus on his philanthropic work, firm conservative values and association with the Republican Party.
Despite his political views, Wayne 鈥渧iewed himself first as an American, who was most interested in the country鈥檚 welfare,鈥� according to a museum label.
The Duke鈥檚 career faced controversy over the years. Wayne came under scrutiny six years ago when in which he expressed derogatory views of Black Americans, Native Americans and films with gay characters.
Ethan told CNN that his father鈥檚 words in the interview were taken out of context.
For John Wayne Enterprises, the focus is illuminating the accomplishments Wayne achieved throughout his lifetime. The final section of the museum spotlights a that was established in 1985 to .
鈥淭hese are artifacts from my life and my childhood with my father,鈥� Ethan said. 鈥淭o see them respected and displayed in a proper way is very satisfying.鈥�
Museum鈥檚 place in Stockyards expansion
Every time the Wayne family members walk through the museum space, Ethan said they can鈥檛 help but smile.
One of the biggest gifts is seeing longtime fans and new generations learn more about the Duke鈥檚 legacy, he said.
Looking ahead, officials with John Wayne Enterprises said they鈥檙e optimistic about the museum鈥檚 growth, especially as the Stockyards .
鈥淲e鈥檙e on this beautiful street right next to the (Cowtown) Coliseum,鈥� Ethan said. 鈥淎s we work to bring more amenities to the area, I think we鈥檒l continue to see (numbers of) visitors go up, and that鈥檒l help us stay here and share John Wayne.鈥�
If you go
What: John Wayne: An American Experience
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Where: 2501 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth
Admission:
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or .
The Fort Worth Report鈥檚 arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
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