The Prince of Monaco Returns to the American West
Cody, Wyoming (PRWEB) September 16, 2013 -- This Wednesday, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco arrives in Cody as the guest of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. He is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of his great, great grandfather’s legendary hunting trip with William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and is presenting the inaugural Camp Monaco Prize—a new scientific research grant supporting biodiversity studies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
“We’re thrilled to host Prince Albert II this weekend as we celebrate the 100-year anniversary of such a unique milestone and adventure,” said Barron G. Collier II, chairman of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Board of Trustees. “We’re also proud to partner with the Prince’s foundation and the University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute to award the first ever Camp Monaco Prize—an important investment into the amazing natural wonder of the American West.”
In 1913, Prince Albert I became the first reigning European head of state to visit the United States. Known for his strong interest in science, the Prince visited the US to, among other things, study the workings of the weather bureau. Prince Albert I, traveling to Wyoming by train, joined Buffalo Bill and a group of friends for a two week excursion into the Rocky Mountains near Yellowstone Park.
HSH Prince Albert II continues his ancestor’s passion for science and the environment through the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA, which focuses on biodiversity, climate change, and water issues. Over the summer, three sponsoring institutions—the Buffalo Bill Center of the West’s Draper Natural History Museum, the University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA—joined together to select the winning proposal for the inaugural Camp Monaco Prize. The research project aims to discover new ways to monitor and safeguard migratory wildlife in Greater Yellowstone and other important conservation areas across the globe.
During his visit, Prince Albert II revisits the area surrounding the hunting camp Prince Albert I of Monaco and Buffalo Bill established in 1913, near what is now Yellowstone National Park. He will also participate in a tree planting ceremony at the Center and tour parts of Yellowstone that could be immediately impacted by the Camp Monaco Prize winning submission. Prince Albert II will finish the weekend by celebrating the winners of the Camp Monaco Prize with other guests on September 21, during the Center's annual Patrons Ball.
High resolution images and other background information related to Prince Albert's visit are available on the Center's Web site.
Since 1917, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West (formerly known as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center) has been committed to the greatness and growth of the American West, keeping western experiences alive. The Center of the West, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, weaves the varied threads of the western experience—history and myth, art and Native culture, firearms, and the nature and science of Yellowstone—into the rich panorama that is the American West. The Center of the West has been honored with numerous awards, including the prestigious 2012 National Tour Association’s Award for “favorite museum for groups,” the 2013 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, and was most recently named one of True West magazine’s “Top 10 Must-See Museums.”
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is currently operating its fall schedule, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, visit the Center's Web site or its Facebook page.
Marguerite House, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, http://www.centerofthewest.org, +1 (307) 578-4137, [email protected]
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