Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Museums and Western Heritage
Oklahoma
The city of the state with a cowboy heart
Oklahoma City, which people sometimes just call “OKC,” is a busy city with a pioneer spirit. With about 630,000 people living there, it has all the big-city amenities you’d expect from a state capital: great restaurants, interesting museums, and world-class performing arts. But you can also easily get lost in the city’s Old West history thanks to its many cowboy-themed restaurants, shops, and activities.
How cowboys live
Even though Oklahoma City is a big city in the Midwest, you might think you were in a cowboy town in the Old West. Live cow auctions can be seen at the Stockyards City auction house, and then you can go to Cattleman’s Steakhouse for a hearty steak dinner before going to the Rodeo Opry. People also call Oklahoma City the “Horse Show Capital of the World,” and you can see shows at State Fair Park. Get western clothes at Langston’s Western Wear, Joe’s Boots, or the Outlet Shoppes in Oklahoma City if you want to look the part.
Historic sites and museums
The Museum of Osteology in Oklahoma City is one of the most famous and strange museums in the city. It has over 300 skeletons of people and animals. The American Pigeon Museum and the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum are two other strange but interesting museums. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center have great fixed and changing art shows that art lovers love. The Oklahoma Hall of Fame at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum has information on well-known Oklahomans like artists Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton. Spend an afternoon at the American Banjo Museum, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, or the Land Run Monument to learn more about OKC’s Western and pioneer roots. And you can’t go to the city without giving your respects at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. It honors the 168 people who died when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed in 1995, as well as the survivors and rescuers.
Family trips, cruises, and art
From the 24-meter-high SandRidge Sky Trail, you can look down at this landlocked city from a different angle. You can also take a water taxi trip to the Bricktown Entertainment District on the Bricktown Canal. When you get off the boat, you can go to the Paseo Arts District, which has 22 art shops, or you can see the Oklahoma City Ballet. The OKC Zoo, the Science Museum Oklahoma, and the 213-meter zip line across the Oklahoma River are all fun places for kids to visit that will never get old.