Oklahoma History Center
The Oklahoma History Center, a masterpiece a decade in the making, is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. In addition to participating in and fully supporting the overall mission of the OHS to preserve and perpetuate the history of Oklahoma and its people by collecting, interpreting and disseminating knowledge of Oklahoma and the Southwest, the museum collects, preserves and interprets the complete history of Oklahoma for everyone. The museum fulfills its mission through the application of the highest standards of collections care, the presentation of diverse in-house and traveling exhibits, and multi-disciplinary educational programs. The Oklahoma History Center is also an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute.
Located on 18 acres across from the Capitol building, the History Center is a beautifully designed, self-guided exploration of Oklahoma – past to present. It houses 40,000 square feet of exhibit space in five galleries, as well as offices, library and research areas, conference and event facilities, exhibit and artifact archives, preservation areas, and a gift shop. The Center is home to the offices of the Oklahoma Historical Society and the State Historic Preservation Office. Outside the museum, the Red River Journey offers visitors a walking tour of the Red River Valley featuring land forms, vegetation and important historical locations. The grounds also include an outdoor oilfield exhibit with drilling derricks, a portable derrick and machinery associated with Oklahoma oil explorations.
The dedication and grand opening of the Oklahoma History Center on November 16, 2005, kicked off a two-year celebration leading up to Oklahoma’s centennial birthday. The fact that the Oklahoma Centennial Commission selected that event to commence their program demonstrates the History Center’s importance to the state.
Photos: ©Timothy Hursley Photography and ©Don Wheeler Photography