With a downtown urban renaissance and shimmering riverfront, a burgeoning art scene and world-class museums, the flavors of the world and the comforts of home are alive in Oklahoma City. Our hip, spirited environment blends with a deep western heritage, creating a place where culture and commerce thrive. Oklahoma City’s Asian District, nestled north of downtown, bustles with exceptional restaurants, shops and cultural experiences. The historic Deep Deuce area, once a hotbed of jazz on downtown’s northeast side, again resonates with music and activity as a newly-developed residential neighborhood. With renowned festivals, treasure-filled museums and a variety of districts highlighting arts, entertainment, history and diversity, the possibilities for adventure and fun in Oklahoma City are endless.
ARTS
With three major arts festivals each year and more than 50 independent galleries showcasing local artists, Oklahoma City’s exuberant arts scene provides the perfect mix of mainstream and off-beat art encounters.
· Festival of the Arts: Held every spring, this festival transforms downtown Oklahoma City into an Arts District. More than 150 locally and nationally known artisans join numerous tasty food vendors and musicians for this annual event.
· Paseo Arts Festival: During Memorial Day weekend artists and musicians fill the streets of the Paseo Arts District, a charming neighborhood offering studios, boutiques and restaurants.
· Oklahoma City Museum of Art: Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art serves more than 135,000 visitors annually from all fifty states and more than thirty foreign countries and hosts special exhibitions drawn from throughout the world. The Museum’s collection covers a period of five centuries with strengths in American and European art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and includes a comprehensive collection of glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly.
· Civic Center Music Hall: Experience the performing arts in the splendor of the renovated Art Deco concert hall in downtown Oklahoma City’s Civic Center Music Hall. Featuring a multi-tiered auditorium with three balconies, 2,500 private seats, a hydraulic orchestra pit and virtually perfect acoustics, the Civic Center is home to Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, Oklahoma City Ballet, Canterbury Choral Society, BLAC, Inc., and Lyric Theatre – named one of the “10 great places to see the lights way off Broadway” by USA Today. The Civic Center also plays host to touring Broadway musicals and an annual series of national artists.
· DeadCENTER Film Festival: Oklahoma City’s biggest film festival, attracts filmmakers from across the globe. deadCENTER screens more than a hundred independent films over a five day period in June in seven premiere downtown Oklahoma City locations. Beyond screening world class films, deadCENTER Film Festival hosts a professional panel series and a screenwriting competition for the avid film fanatic.
Learn more about the arts in Oklahoma City.
HISTORY & HERITAGE
· National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: More than 10 million visitors from around the world have sought out this museum to gain a better understanding of the West. Featuring one of the most comprehensive collections of Western art in the world, this is a can’t miss stop when in Oklahoma City.
· Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum: Through high-tech, interactive exhibits, meet the famous and everyday Oklahomans who have shaped the history of our state, country and world.
· Oklahoma History Center: Located across from the State Capitol, this affiliate of the Smithsonian offers a chance to explore Oklahoma’s unique story through interactive exhibits covering geology, transportation, commerce, culture, aviation, heritage and more. On special exhibit through 2010, “Another Hot Oklahoma Night: A Rock & Roll Exhibit” explores the Rock and Roll artists, radio stations, personalities, venues and fans that have called Oklahoma home.
· Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum: Experience this peaceful monument that pays tribute to those who were killed by the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The interactive memorial learning museum offers visitors from around the world comfort and hope. The museum and outdoor memorial with its reflecting pool give pause to all who visit and provide important insights through special exhibits.
· Stockyards City: The largest stocker and feeder cattle market in the world is located in Oklahoma City. Stroll along the streets of Stockyards City and explore more than 70 businesses featuring Western wear, ranch needs, entertainment and fine dining.
Find more of Oklahoma City’s History and Heritage attractions.
FAMILY FUN
· Oklahoma City Zoo: Named as one of the top 10 zoos in the country, the Oklahoma City Zoo features more than 2,000 exotic animals.
· Science Museum Oklahoma: Located next door to the zoo, this museum houses numerous galleries all under one roof. Also features a live science show, the nation’s tallest spiral slide and The Dome Theater - Oklahoma's first large-format, dome-screen theater.
More family fun in Oklahoma City