FEATURED PROJECT: National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Liichokoshkomo
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ABOUT THE PROJECT
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Liichokoshkomo
LOCATION: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
PROJECT DATES: March 2019 – March 2020
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT VALUE: $11.5M
CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Design-Build HIGHLIGHTS: historically accurate dwellings and exhibits
Project Description:
Located in Oklahoma City, The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Liichokoshkomo’ is a 100,000-square-foot outdoor learning environment created to bring the stories, cultures, and landscapes of the American West to life through hands-on experiences and interactive exhibits.
Delivered through a design-build partnership between JE Dunn and Benham, the project required close collaboration from concept through construction. While the overall vision was established early, many details continued to evolve throughout the project. The integrated team approach allowed designers, builders, museum leadership, and cultural stakeholders to work together in real time, solving challenges quickly while maintaining the project’s goals for quality, budget, and schedule.
A defining feature of Liichokoshkomo’ is its commitment to authenticity. The exhibit includes detailed recreations of a Chickasaw Council House, Pawnee Earth Lodge, Kiowa Tipi, Navajo Hogan, Hopi House, Caddo Grass Hut, and Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwelling. Tribal representatives and cultural experts remained actively involved throughout the design and construction process, helping ensure each structure accurately reflected the traditions, architecture, and histories of the communities represented.
The strength of the design-build partnership was especially evident when tribal stakeholders identified inaccuracies in a completed Kiowa Tipi. The integrated team worked together to revise and reconstruct the structure to meet cultural expectations. The collaborative approach enabled the team to respond quickly while preserving trust among all project partners and maintaining the integrity of the exhibit.
In addition to the tribal village exhibits, Liichokoshkomo’ features a train depot, trading post, covered wagon exhibit, playground, waterfall, oil derrick, horse ramada, and special events center. Together, these elements create an engaging environment where visitors of all ages can learn through exploration and play.
Today, Liichokoshkomo’ serves as both an educational resource and a celebration of the diverse cultures that shaped the American West. Through collaboration, flexibility, and a shared commitment to excellence, the design-build team delivered a destination that will inspire learning and discovery for generations to come.
PROJECT TEAM:
JE Dunn Construction
Senior Project Manager – Malcolm Coetzee – Malcolm.Coetzee@jedunn.com
Project Manager – Natanya Jeter
Superintendent – Chris Savoie
Benham
Dylan Motley
Tomra Russell
This is a featured project from our 2026 Diamond Partner - JE Dunn Construction
