Dr. Laurie Marker at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

Join us at The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art for a rare opportunity to hear from Dr. Laurie Marker, one of the world’s leading voices in cheetah conservation. A zoologist, researcher, author, and educator, Dr. Marker is the founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and a global authority on the future of the world’s fastest land animal.

Visiting from her home base in Namibia, Dr. Marker will speak in person about her groundbreaking work to save cheetahs from extinction. Her talk will explore cutting-edge advances in conservation science, genetics, and ecotourism, and share the inspiring story of how local communities and international partners are coming together to secure a future for cheetahs in the wild.

Dr. Marker has been recognized worldwide for her impact, including the 2020 President’s Award for Conservation from The Explorers Club. Her presentation promises to inform, inspire, and connect audiences to the urgent mission of protecting cheetahs for generations to come.

Your evening will unfold within the museum’s rich collection of Western and wildlife art. You will be surrounded by dramatic bronze sculptures, vivid paintings of frontier life, and contemporary Indigenous and wildlife works drawn from galleries such as the Wildlife and Frontier Galleries. Arrive early to explore spaces like the Native Artists Gallery and the Jewelry Box with its sparkling Native American pieces.

Two special exhibitions will also be on view. Perseverance: A Woman’s Journey West shares powerful 19th-century pioneer stories painted by Heide Presse, while RARE AIR: Endangered Birds, Bats, Butterflies & Bees features 70 finely detailed illustrations that highlight vanishing species and call for conservation action.