14 Popular Museums in Tulsa That Are Worth Visiting (2024)
Tulsa is one of the thriving cities in Oklahoma that is known for its glorious history. With its pleasant atmosphere, Tulsa has managed to attract tourists over the years. Its history includes the native American heritage, wild west history, and modern art that draws attention from all around the globe.
14 Popular Museums in Tulsa That are Worth Visiting
Some of the key museums that you could visit during your trip to Tulsa are mentioned below:
1. Philbrook Museum of Art:
Philbrook is among the top museums in Tulsa that houses a vast collection of works of art and artifacts that span antiquity to the present. The museum is situated in a stunning mansion that dates back to the 1920s. The work of architecture and 25 acres of gardens designed in the style of Tuscany add to the aesthetic aura of the space. The Philbrook was chosen by House Beautiful magazine as the most beautiful place in Oklahoma due to its breath-taking gardens.
Timings: Late spring when the flowers bloom fully would be an ideal time to visit.
Closed on Monday and Tuesday; Thursday 9am – 7pm Friday 9am – 9pm Saturday 9am – 7pm Sunday 9am – 5pm Wednesday 9am – 5 pm.
2. Gilcrease Museum:
Gilcrease museum in Tulsa is well-known for stealing attention with its huge collection of relics and works of art. With more than 350,000 works of art and artifacts, the museum offers the greatest collection of materials relating to the American West. It houses an uncountable number of artifacts and offers gardens with historic themes, restaurants, and a kid’s area as well. They also provide free entry on first Tuesday and on third Sunday of the month
Timings: Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Closed Mondays.
3. Ahha Tulsa:
Established in 1961 Ahha is one of the most cutting-edge museums of the city of Tulsa. Featuring huge collections, interactive opportunities, and classes the museum aims at spreading cultural awareness among its community. Over the years the museum has aided in supporting school art programs, and studio space and tools to local artists. Moreover, it conducts entertaining events throughout the year such as art crawls, gala fundraisers, holiday parties, and festivals of all kinds.
Timings: Thursday 12 – 9pm; Friday 12 – 9pm; Saturday 12 – 9pm; Sunday 12 – 7pm; Monday – Closed; Tuesday – Closed; Wednesday 12 – 9pm.
4. The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art:
The Sherwin Miller Museum in Tulsa holds the most exclusive collection of Judaica in the southwest, along with the finest art pieces, and displays the resiliency of Jewish people back in history. You get to learn more about Jewish culture, practices, ceremonies, and much more as you explore your way through the museum. One of the most anticipated displays is a powerful and elegant exhibit of the holocaust which includes testimonies from Oklahoma veterans who served in the war as well as surviving members of the concentration camps and refugees from Nazi Germany.
Timings: Thursday 10am – 5pm; Friday 10am – 5pm; Saturday 12 – 5pm; Sunday 1pm – 5pm; Monday 10am – 5pm; Tuesday 10am – 5pm; Wednesday 10am – 5pm.
5. Tulsa Historical Society and Museum:
Learning about Tulsa’s past with your pals seems fun. This museum throws the light on Tulsa’s rich history, enriching the present, and focuses on the future. Housing numerous documents, photographs, and architectural remnants, and has few cars on display. The place is located in the ancient Tavis mansion and has stunning gardens to stroll through.
Timings: Tuesday to Saturday – 10am to 4pm; Monday and Sunday – Closed
6. Woodie Guthrie Center:
While you are in Tulsa do not forget to check out the Woodie Guthrie center. The museum is committed to disseminating Guthrie’s message of variety, equality, and justice in addition to providing knowledge about this Oklahoma native. Interactive exhibits, educational materials, and of course, tons of music are all found throughout the center. Additionally, there are a number of entertaining events held both in-person and online throughout the year, as well as a few changing displays that highlight the relationship between politics and music and showcase like-minded musicians.
Timings: Monday and Tuesday – Closed; Wednesday to Saturday – 10am to 6pm.
7. Vintage Sewing Center and Museum:
The Vintage Sewing Center and Museum showcases hundreds of historic sewing machines from the 1800s, including magnificent hand cranks, non-electric treadles, and even a few treadles used in the leather industry. You may either go on a self-guided tour or you can allow the enthusiastic curator to walk you through the development of the antique machines.
Timings: Sunday and Monday – Closed; Tuesday to Saturday – 12pm to 6pm.
8. The Outsiders House Museum:
When touring Tulsa, fans of the 1980s movie The Outsiders can experience a minute of fandom at the house museum. The house appears to be rather inconspicuous from the exterior and is actually a real house, and not a setup. Nevertheless, those who have seen the film will identify it right away. The house, where the movie was made, is jam-packed with memorabilia, scripts, costumes, and other items. A huge tour bus that will take you on a tour of the area and a gift shop are also present (COVID restrictions pending). When you’ve had your fill of the mansion, go see the neighboring Crutchfield Park to see where the famous fight scene was recorded.
Timings: Open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11:00am until 4:00pm.
9. Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame:
While exploring Tulsa, jazz fans might place the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame at the top of their priorities. This stunning structure, which was once the Union Depot but is now known as the Jazz Depot, houses a museum and a concert hall. Regarding some of the most cherished Oklahoma jazz musicians, there are biographies, artifacts, images, and memorabilia available. Don’t skip your chance to attend one of the regularly scheduled jazz events while you’re in town because the acoustics within the venue are fantastic.
Timings: Open only on Tuesday– From 5:30 pm to 8 pm.
10. Tulsa Air and Space Museum:
Visit the Tulsa Air and Space Museum to go on a space adventure while you are in Tulsa. Although you won’t actually be leaving the planet, you will undoubtedly learn something about space travel. Featuring hands-on displays both inside and outside, this engaging, science-based museum and planetarium provides tourists the opportunity to discover Oklahoma’s aerospace and aviation legacy. Watch a solar system exhibition, examine the B-17 parked outside, or listen to talks with Pearl Harbor survivors. There is a lot to see at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, so plan plenty of time to visit!
Timings: Sunday and Monday – Closed; Tuesday to Saturday – From 10 am to 4 pm.
11. Oklahoma Aquarium:
On the Arkansas River is the Oklahoma Aquarium, a nongovernmental aquatic museum with more than 100 displays and a variety of animals. The exhibitions range from “Marvels and Mysteries” featuring jellyfish, electric eels, and piranhas to a sampling of the marine life observed in Oklahoma. Visitors enter a walk-through passage and dome beneath the biggest bull sharks kept in captivity at the museum, which is home to one of the most magnificent collections of sharks in the entire world. Visitors can feed and pet stingrays at the “EcoZone and Coral Reefs Touch” ‘s pools. The Oklahoma Aquarium offers visitors a look at the life that resides in our planet’s seas, rivers, lakes, and streams through seven displays.
Timings: Everyday 10 am to 6 pm.
12. Discovery Lab:
The children’s museum in Tulsa, Discovery Lab, is mostly geared toward elementary school-aged children and youngsters. Children are entertained while learning about science, innovation, math, art, and technology thanks to the interactive exhibitions. The Tape Tunnel is among the Discovery Lab’s highlights for children. Beginning as a museum without walls in 2007, Discovery Lab later relocated to the Owen Park Recreation Center in 2013 and to A Gathering Place Park in 2020.
Timings: Tuesday to Saturday – 9:30am to 5 pm; Sunday – 11:30am to 5pm; Monday – 10:30 to 5pm.
13. DECOPOLIS Tulsa Art Deco Museum:
Tulsa’s museums capture the city’s vibrant culture and its residents at their core. Visit the city’s museums if you’re seeking something more important and profound. With the help of these museums, discover Tulsa’s cultural, artistic, intellectual, or historic aspects. a little museum housed in a historical structure with art deco displays, a cafe, and a gift store with a 1920s theme.
Timings: Sunday – closed; Monday to Saturday – 9am to 5pm.
14. Greenwood Rising:
As soon as you enter the dimly lit chamber, a terrifying incident from a century ago comes to mind. As roving bands of armed men devastate their area, attacking homes and businesses, shooting randomly into crowds, and even dumping dynamite from planes, families cower in fear.
Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood, often known as Black Wall Street, was left a smoking ruin as the fighting subsided. Survivors were imprisoned and instructed to clean the clutter. The J.B. Stradford, the largest Black-owned hotel in the country, as well as banks, restaurants, theaters, and other businesses had all been destroyed.
Timings: Sunday 12pm – 6pm Monday 10am – 6pmTuesday (Closed) Wednesday 10am – 6pm Thursday 10am – 8pm Friday 10am – 8pm Saturday 10am – 8pm.