Red River Valley Museum in Vernon Has a Lot To See

While I had a little time off last week I decided to make a short road trip and check out the Red River Valley Museum in Vernon, Texas.

The museum has been there for a while, but it's been recently redesigned inside and they added a whole new room. But we'll get to that later.

First off, you'll meet some friendly and informative people when you enter the front door and they'll lead you into the first exhibit, The Berry Gallery.

Sherry Yoakum, my guide in this gallery, gave me an introduction to the rich history of Wilbarger county and the many artifacts that have been collected there over the years. With everything from Native American items to mastodon teeth, several fossils, and an impressive collection of arrowheads there's a lot to take in.

Watch out for the cowboy in one of the displays, he looks pretty shifty to me.

After spending some time in The Berry Gallery I moved on to the Red River Museum's newest exhibit, The Bond Gallery.

The Bond Gallery has only been open for a few weeks now and the museum staff are understandably excited about showing it off. My guide for this gallery was Cooper Alexander, she told me the story of Bill Bond and his adventures.

Beginning in the mid 1960s he spent time hunting wild game and practicing wildlife management around the world, carefully targeting only the animals who's removal would actually strengthen the herd or species. In the process he made friends around the world and supported local cultures through his visits and hunts.

From Africa to the plains of Texas there are more than 130 pieces exhibited in The Bond Gallery.

If possible, there's even more to see and read in The Bond Gallery than in The Berry Gallery so be prepared to spend some time wandering around.

From there it was on to the Waggoner Gallery.

This gallery is all about the history of the Waggoner Ranch, the family that established it, and some of the stories that have taken place there.

Part of The Waggoner Gallery is dedicated to Electra Waggoner Biggs and includes a mockup of her art studio along with some beautiful pieces of art.

There is also another room called The Wright Art Gallery that is used for rotating displays and presentations throughout the year.

The Red River Valley Museum is just a short trip away at 4600 College Drive in Vernon, Texas, and is a great day trip for your whole family.

From Wilbarger county fossils to exotic wild game, to colorful stories of the Waggoner Ranch the Red River Valley Museum really is where history meets the imagination. Follow them on Facebook to keep up with everything that's new.