Museum Experience
Experience our shared American history through the lens and collective stories of 39 distinct tribal nations in Oklahoma today.
Engage with living stories, cultures, and arts, from the traditional to the contemporary.
Tribal Nations Gallery
This exhibit will tell the collective stories of the 39 Tribal Nations who were removed from their ancestral homelands to what is now Oklahoma. Visitors will be immersed in a media-rich experience highlighting tribal origin stories and historical accounts from a uniquely Native perspective. We reveal insights into our Native cultural lifeways including humor, sports and games, and the role of warriors in our communities.
Smithsonian Gallery
This exhibit will feature approximately 140 objects on a long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Many of these objects were collected in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from tribes in Oklahoma. The material culture of all 39 tribal nations in Oklahoma will be represented in this exhibition. Each one of these cultural items has a unique story to tell. Many of these objects will be reunited with descendent family members of their original makers.
FAMily Discovery Center
Visitors walk into a pop-up book world that is familiar yet magical. Animal guides help lead visitors through experiences within the space shaped to convey important cultural values such as respect, community, resilience and stewardship. There is something for every age group. The space is playful, sometimes funny, and always safe. It combines hands on activities, physical challenges and media rich interactives to emphasize “we are all connected.”
Programs and Events
Museum programs and events will include a wide array of guided tours, music events, family friendly programs, festivals, hands-on workshops, seasonal activities, book signings, cooking demonstrations, lectures and seminars and symposia.
Multipurpose Theater
This 200-seat theater can accommodate theatrical productions, film and video presentations, dance and live music concerts, as well as lectures and seminars.
Forum Theater
This 75-seat venue is a hub for many activities including: a place to watch live demonstrations, performances and video presentations; an orientation space for school groups, and; a community gathering space. During evening hours, it also serves as a pre-function space for special events taking place in the Hall of the People or the Multipurpose Theater.
Dining
The full-service restaurant will feature a sit-down dining experience, complete with great ambience and service. Delicious menu items are inspired by authentic Native recipes and tribally specific dishes. Ingredients will be sourced locally and regionally, with a focus on produce and game indigenous to Oklahoma. The menu will also serve as an educational tool to bring awareness to culinary distinctions between tribes, and the cultural history behind the recipes. This restaurant will be a unique experience in Oklahoma.
FAM Café and Coffee Shop
Nestled between the FAMily Discovery Center and the Forum Theatre, the café offers Native inspired food items along with specialty coffee and tea in a family friendly dining environment.
FAM Store
The Museum Store will feature one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry, basketry, ceramics, weavings, clothing, and artworks created by Oklahoma’s finest Native artists. All Native-made items will be certified as authentic.