Philmont Museum

Philmont Scout Ranch outside Cimarron is best known for backcountry treks, but its museums hold one of the strongest small collections of frontier firearms in New Mexico. The National Scouting Museum, home of the Philmont Museum and Seton Memorial Library, pairs Scouting history with the guns of the Maxwell Land Grant and the Colfax County War.

Don’t miss

The Colfax County War case, with rifles, revolvers and saddle gear from Cimarron’s range-war years
An 1851 Colt Navy found on the ranch in 2019, with three chambers still loaded
Kit Carson’s rifle and fighting knives
The gun room, with racks of muzzleloaders and early cartridge rifles still wearing their collection tags
Seton’s painting Triumph of the Wolves and the first Eagle Scout badge

Our visit

The 2026 Gun Show Loophole Tour stopped at Philmont on July 27, the same day as the NRA Whittington Center up the road near Raton. The museum sits across from the ranch’s camping headquarters, and admission is free.

The firearms are spread through the building rather than kept in one hall. The Colfax County War case tells the story of the fight over the Maxwell Land Grant with the guns of the period, and the gun room holds rack after rack of long guns, each still wearing its collection tag.

The best single piece is an 1851 Colt Navy found near the Cimarroncito headwaters in 2019, during a survey of burn areas after a wildfire. Its serial number dates it to late 1861, a stamped letter shows it was meant for the London market, and three chambers were still loaded with round ball when it came out of the ground.

Plan to pair the stop with Villa Philmonte, the Phillips family’s summer home on the ranch, and the Kit Carson Museum at Rayado. Both are run by the same museum staff.

A rifle displayed with a beaded case, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — A rifle displayed with a beaded case

An antique flintlock pistol, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — An antique flintlock pistol

Antique rifle stocks with collection tags, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — Antique rifle stocks with collection tags

A rack of antique long guns, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — A rack of antique long guns

A lever-action rifle on display, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — A lever-action rifle on display

The ranching exhibit, with the rifles that worked the land grant, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — The ranching exhibit, with the rifles that worked the land grant

An 1851 Colt Navy revolver found on the ranch in 2019, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — An 1851 Colt Navy revolver found on the ranch in 2019

Revolvers in the Colt display case, Philmont museums, Cimarron, New Mexico — Revolvers in the Colt display case

Plan your visit

The museum is busiest from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 3 to 4 pm; arrive early or late for a quieter visit.
Docent talks are available; call (575) 376-1136 to ask.
Philmont is a working Scout ranch in summer, so follow the visitor parking signs at headquarters.
Make a day of it: the NRA Whittington Center is about an hour north near Raton.