America's Favorite Singing Cowboy had a dream. He wanted to preserve the heritage of the American West for future generations. The Autry Museum of Western Heritage opened in 1988. It became the Autry National Center in 2003 when it merged with the Southwest Museum and the Women of the West Museum. The result of that merger is a remarkable institution dedicated to a unique part of American culture. The days of the singing cowboys may be over. But the spirit of the West lives on.