Philmont Museum

Seton Memorial Library & Philmont Museum

Whether you are visiting Philmont Scout Ranch to go on a trek or just pass through the area, the Philmont Museum is always a nice place to stop by. Located across the street from camping headquarters, the Philmont Museum is home to the Seton Memorial Library. The Philmont Museum features a rotating exhibit, so if you have visited in the past, don't hesitate to drop by and see something new next time you are in the area!

Ernest Thompson Seton 1860-1946

Ernest Thompson Seton was an artist, naturalist, environmentalist, explorer, the founder of the Woodcraft League and Co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

Seton was mostly self-taught; however, he did study art in London and Paris in 1879 and 1894, respectively. He completed his first oil painting at the age of 16.

During his lifetime, Seton produced 4,000 paintings and countless drawings. His wide variety of style, medium and surfaces is most unusual as most artists show a strong preference for one medium and style.

Current Exhibit

"Gift of Inspiration"

In honor of Philmont’s 75th anniversary the Philmont Museum exhibit presents “The Gift of Inspiration.” Waite Phillips hoped that the ranch would harbor a place where children had the ability to discover their passion, talents and gifts.

Nearly one million Scouts have explored the backcountry of Philmont since 1938. In addition, thousands of individuals have spent their summers working at Philmont. This exhibit showcases 14 different artists who once were staffed at the ranch.

The purpose of the exhibit is to showcase how Philmont affected and inspired these artist’s lives. “The Gift of Inspiration” exhibit demonstrates various arts from acrylic paintings to photography to pinball machines. Next to each piece of art is a plaque with the artist’s description of their “Philmont Inspiration,” entailing how Philmont affected their life path. The artists displayed at the exhibit could not have become the people they are today without their journey here at Philmont.

Come checkout the amazing art and see how Philmont can inspire you!