National Ranching Heritage Center

Quatrefoil joined Texas Tech University and the National Ranching Heritage Center to create the Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center, a new indoor and outdoor learning experience that serves the center’s “mission to preserve and interpret the history of ranching in North America and address contemporary ranching issues.”

Interactive experiences, like virtual cowboys and multi-player games, balance the spirit of John Erickson’s “Hank the Cowdog” book series with the more serious business and science of ranching. The exhibition ties storytelling techniques, critical thinking challenges, and STEM activities to the public-school curriculum, offering a wide range of engagement opportunities for a spectrum of learning styles. With Hank as their guide, visitors learn about the business of ranching, cattle basics, natural resources, prairie wildlife, cowboys and horses, ranch equipment, and ranch family responsibilities.

The spaces outdoors thoughtfully consider sustainability through active play and the incorporation of solar power and running-water features.