I have let the whole gourd dry for about a year to use as a birdhouse.
I don't know what size yours are or what you plan to do with them. Are they ornamental or will you make something out of them-birdhouse etc?

Ornamental gourds, I only bought them because they were cheaper than a package of seed would be - assuming the seed are any good. Should they be weathered and dried outside? Or what?

Hi Albert,
I'm assuming you got those little ornamental gourds. They are not actually gourds, but c. pepo squash and closely related to zucchini and acorn squash.
You just need to cut them open to get the seeds. The babies you grow next year won't look exactly like the parents though.
Remy