The establishment of the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art came about following the artist’s death in 1977 when it was learned that Mitchell’s sister, Ethel Mitchell Erickson, nicknamed “Tot”, was trying to determine where to donate his paintings, Western art and historical memorabilia collection. She had already been approached by several prestigious museums which were interested in acquiring the collection that included not only Mitchell’s work from his years as a successful illustrator from the 1920s-1940s for Western pulp magazines, but also paintings by his contemporaries such as Harvey Dunn and Harold Von Schmidt.

While Tot wanted her brother’s artwork to be displayed to its best advantage and was flattered that museums such as the The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City were interested in it, she also felt a sentimental pull toward returning it to Trinidad for permanent placement since that was where she and her brother were born and raised. It was, therefore, her decision that if a viable museum could be established in Trinidad, that is where she would donate her brother's entire collection as well as her own Santos collection.

The A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established in 1981 to honor and display the art and life of Arthur Roy Mitchell, artist, educator and historical preservationist, in his home town of Trinidad, Colorado. The museum funded primarily through donations from generous individuals who also wish to keep his Western art and Western legacy alive and on view to the public through the museum. Learn about our regional partnerships here.