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Art and Culture
WESTERN ART, HISTORY, AND CULTURE AROUND KANAB, UTAH
Red Pueblo Heritage Park and Museum
In Fredonia, spend time with artifacts hundreds of years old while local expert Dixon Spendlove shares his knowledge of the area’s Indigenous cultures. Admission is free; donations are appreciated.
Maynard Dixon Home and Studio
If you don’t know Maynard Dixon, please look him up. He has long been one of Quiet Shelters’ favorite Western artists. His home and studio in Mt. Carmel, built with his wife Edith Hamlin in 1939, are only a short drive from Kanab and well worth a visit.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Many people visiting Kanab come to volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Even if you aren't volunteering the property is worth exploring. The canyon is beautiful and Angels Rest, with its hundreds of wind chimes, is oddly tranquil.
The Moqui Cave
If you are into the kitschy and quirky go to Moqui Cave. This is a generational affair with unique family history. There is also a food truck there with smoothies and paninis.
Lotus Boutique & Studio
One of our favorite little shops in Kanab. Lotus has a collection of local art, jewelry, pottery, and textiles. The owner makes some of her own pottery, and the shop hosts sound baths and small gatherings from time to time. If you’re looking for truly local jewelry or something that doesn’t feel like a tourist souvenir, start here.
Raven's Heart Gallery
Find works by Cyrus Mejia, co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society, Gary Kalpakoff, and other regional artists. Raven’s Heart describes itself simply as ‘art with heart,’ which fits.”
Once Upon a Time in America Museum
This place is much bigger and stranger than it looks from the road. Inside is an enormous collection of American history, Hollywood memorabilia, classic cars, Western artifacts, and a whole section devoted to Kanab’s Little Hollywood past. It’s part museum, part cabinet of curiosities, and definitely worth more time than you think.
The Rock Stop
You can’t really drive through Orderville without noticing the building shaped like a giant rock. Stop anyway. Inside is a mix of local stones, minerals, jewelry, and other wonderfully strange finds, plus coffee and tea. I bought my favorite earrings here, which probably tells you everything you need to know about how easy it is to leave with something special.
Little Hollywood
Kanab’s Western film history is still alive here. Little Hollywood Museum has preserved actual movie sets and memorabilia from productions filmed around Southern Utah. It’s quirky, nostalgic, and a fun way to understand why Kanab became known as Little Hollywood.
Redstone Theater Kanab
Right in the middle of downtown, the Historic RedStone Theater hosts movies, live music, comedy, and community events. The schedule changes throughout the year, so it’s worth seeing what’s on while you’re here, especially if you want an easy evening after a day outside.
Old Paria
Little remains of the old town in Paria. It was inhabited from 1870 until 1929. The multicolored banded mountains have been included in many films, including Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales. It's a peaceful stop to take in the views of the wild west.
Not the city, but that's its charm
“For us the sordid bargaining of our narrowed city lives, the fret and whirl of petty currents that bear us so far from our inner goal-- all were forgotten in that enchanted land.” ~Natalie Curtis
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