The C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls is a national source on the famous Western artist and his work. But, a museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma recently purchased a large number of objects related to Russell, giving their collection an edge over the Great Falls museum.

So we wanted to find out what local museum officials think of this.

Earlier this month, the Gilcrease Museum- part of the University of Tulsa- acquired the C.M. Russell Research Collection from the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center; it contains more than 13,000 objects relating to Russell and his work.

"It's going to be available for the public to research and view,” said the Russell Museum’s Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator, Kate Swartz. “And if it went to a private collection, that's lost for the public."

Officials with the University of Tulsa hope to attract scholar-in-residence candidates to study the collection. According to the C.M. Russell Museum here in Great Falls, items in the collection relate more to Russell's life as an artist than his actual work; those items include illustrated letters, photographs of Russell, newspaper clippings and art supplies. Yet the acquisition gives the Gilcrease Museum the largest collection of materials created or owned by Charlie Russell.

"We couldn't have ever acquired this collection, just because we don't have the acquisition funds to pay for something this big,” Swartz explained. “So, you know, they're just different institutions but the Gilcrease Museum- it's a great big Western art museum so it fits perfectly with the collection."

The collection's purchase price is not being released, but according to officials with the Gilcrease Museum, four major donors contributed to the acquisition.

The C.M. Russell Research Collection was assembled after the artist's death by his wife, Nancy, and his biographer.

The collection will be featured in a travelling exhibit making stops in Denver, at the Gilcrease in Tulsa, and in Texas.