Oklahoma History Center

What is Oklahoma History Center?

This is the official history museum for the state of Oklahoma. Its subject is the state's own past, which makes it a good place to connect the dots between the towns, people and events a Route 66 traveler meets along the way.

The setting is generous. The museum sits on about 18 acres, with the Governor's mansion just across the street, so it has room around it rather than being squeezed into a downtown block. That open setting also makes parking and a stroll outside easy.

History of Oklahoma History Center

The present museum opened in 2005. The Oklahoma Historical Society operates it, a state agency which also looks after other state sites, among them the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, which it took over in 2016. A traveler following Route 66 across Oklahoma can meet the same agency's work at both ends of the drive.

Visiting Oklahoma History Center: tips

The museum is less than a mile off the old road. Allow two hours or more if you enjoy history museums; it is a big subject, and the exhibits reward a slow pace. It is listed as wheelchair accessible.

The Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum, home of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, is about 1.6 miles away. The Elks Victory Lodge-Ruby's Grill Building is about 1.7 miles off, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial about 1.8 miles away. Food and gas are both within about a third of a mile.