General Information
Building the Museum
More than four years before groundbreaking took place on February 22, 2001, the world-class design and construction team for the new 33,000 square foot National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame was already in place. David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. was chosen as design architect, Linbeck Construction Company with Tom Hale as project supervisor and Brian Broom as project manager, would build the building and Vicki Dickerson, President of Sundance Projects Group, would provide project management, ensuring the museum’s completion on time, on budget and with the highest quality.
The companies had previously worked together for more than 10 years and had achieved extraordinary success in creating several beautiful, state-of-the-art buildings in Fort Worth including the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall, the Sundance West mixed- use apartment and cinemas project, the Sanger Lofts apartments, the Sundance East commercial development and the Worthington Hotel renovation.
For its part, David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. had a threefold goal in its design: to relate the building to the historic context of the site, to create a vibrant new space as the home for the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, and to provide expansion possibilities for the museum as its collections grow. The building’s location near the historic Will Rogers Memorial Center in the Fort Worth Cultural District helped determine the style, materials and architectural forms of the building.
The style of the building is compatible with the Modern style of the Will Rogers Memorial Center. The exterior is constructed with brick and cast stone with terra cotta finials formed in a ‘wild rose’ 
motif and glazed in vibrant colors. A large painted mural by Richard Haas, bas-relief sculpture panels, and a series of hand-carved cast relief panels show scenes related to the Cowgirl’s story and depict thematic messages such as ‘East Meets West’ and ‘Saddle Your Own Horse’ that represent the story told inside the museum.
The museum’s interior is designed to provide a clear circulation path for the thousands of visitors expected and to create central spaces that can be used for after-hours functions. In addition to administrative offices, the building also includes three gallery areas, a multipurpose theater, hands-on children's areas, a flexible exhibit space, 
research library, catering area, and a retail store. A 45 –foot-high domed rotunda serves as a constant orienting point and houses the Hall of Fame honoree exhibits. Two grand staircases providing exceptional overlooks into the rotunda at the ground floor are made of different metal finishes and colors with art deco inspired ornamental railings. The floors are a honed Corton Bressandes French limestone on the ground floor. 
Doors of stained walnut mark the entrance to the theater. Western themes are found throughout including native flowers, horse heads and the wild rose motif.
Additional key members of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame construction/design team included: Gideon/Toal Architects, architect of record; Datum Engineers, structural engineers; and Summit Engineering, mechanical engineering.
