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About the Oklahoma History Center

Explore


Smithsonian-quality exhibits that bring to life the voice and visions of Oklahoma.

Experience


More than fifty topics and 2,000 artifacts reflecting Oklahoma’s inspiring and adventurous past.

Educate


Yourself and your family through research and interpretive programs of Oklahoma’s rich and diverse history.



Stories, spirits, triumphs, and tragedy—the Oklahoma History Center is your opportunity to experience Oklahoma’s inspiring and adventurous past.


Located on eighteen acres across from the Oklahoma State Capitol, the Oklahoma History Center is a beautifully designed exploration of Oklahoma—past to present. Within our 215,000 square-foot learning center are five galleries and a Research Center.

Outside the museum, the Red River Journey offers visitors a walking tour of the Red River Valley featuring landforms, 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.

Smithsonian Affiliations

The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The museum fulfills the Oklahoma Historical Society’s mission through the application of the highest standards of collections care, the presentation of diverse exhibits, and multi-disciplinary educational programs.

The Oklahoma History Center is also Smithsonian Affiliate. Through Smithsonian Affiliations, young people, families, and students are able to experience a piece of the Smithsonian—their national museum—through their own hometown museums.

An architectural masterpiece, a decade in the making, the Oklahoma History Center was designed by the firm of Beck Associates of Oklahoma City in collaboration with the firm Helmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum of St. Louis, Missouri. Haley Sharpe Design Limited of Washington, DC, and Leicester, Great Britain, designed the original exhibits.