Buffalo Bill Cody bought this land in 1878 with Wild West show money and built Scout’s Rest Ranch into a 4,000-acre cattle operation. The mansion (1886), the enormous barn, and the outbuildings survive as a state historical park and National Historic Landmark — and the house tour is the draw, full of Cody family furnishings and show memorabilia.
Cody’s arc is all here: Pony Express rider, Army scout, buffalo hunter, then the man who invented the Wild West as entertainment and toured it around the world. The museum doesn’t shy away from the complicated parts, including the show’s relationship with the Native performers who made it famous.
The mansion tours run seasonally — roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day, with shoulder weekends — while the grounds stay open year-round. Pair it with the Golden Spike Tower and Fort Cody for the full North Platte day; the adjacent SRA has camping if you’re staying over.