National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum is affiliated with the Let's Move Museums and Let's Move Gardens national project led by First Lady Michelle Obama

Actress Pam Grier lends her name to western heritage museum

The National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum has named its first garden in honor of 1970s' film star Pam Grier.

Groundbreaking on the Pam Grier Community Garden, which will be part of the museum's new site at 3520 E. Berry St. in Fort Worth, was held on July 23, 2011, in conjunction with the museum’s celebration of the National Day of the American Cowboy. The garden will feature a variety of vegetables and flowers that will be used to nourish and beautify the surrounding community.

"We feel very fortunate to have been able to share our vision with Ms. Grier and partnering with her on our mutual vision of empowering the youth in the community by teaching them the benefits of healthy eating and providing a hands-on experience that will teach them how to take control of their own health and wellness when it comes to food and nutrition," said museum Executive Director Gloria Austin in a statement.

Presently located at 3400 Mount Vernon Ave. in Fort Worth, the museum currently is under way with a capital campaign to raise funds for its planned move to the nine-acre site that also will feature prairie lands and walking trails.

"The expansion of the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum has been a passion and commitment of ours for a long time," said museum co-founder Jim Austin. "To have Pam Grier share that enthusiasm and lend her name to the community garden adds a tremendous amount of appeal to the museum’s future facility."

The museum features displays on prominent figures in American history, including African American, Native American and European trailblazers from the Old West and the Buffalo Soldiers. The museum's Hall of Fame acknowledges the contributions of those individuals.