The long wait is nearly over for the opening of the new Gilcrease Museum. Closed since July 5, 2021, the space will begin welcoming visitors in March 2027, officials announced Monday.
Gilcrease is undergoing a $140.9 million transformation that will feature 14 permanent collection galleries designed for self-guided exploration that present interconnected stories through multiple cultural lenses, including Indigenous nations, the American West and Latin America. Overall, the $2 billion collection has about 300,000 items.
The museum grounds in north Tulsa will also offer 460 acres of natural landscape connected by 14 miles of trails for hiking and biking.
“The reopening of Gilcrease marks an extraordinary moment not only for Tulsa, but for the entire nation,” said Brian Lee Whisenhunt, executive director and CEO of Gilcrease. “It is a celebration of the rich, diverse and complex stories of the Americas and an invitation for people from across the country to experience, explore and connect with the history that has shaped us all.”
Those who want to get a sneak peek of the new museum exterior can visit “Indigenous Independence: America at 250” at the Helmerich Center for American Research through Dec. 17. The exhibition opened in June and was quickly extended through the year.
Late oilman Thomas Gilcrease, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, built the museum in 1949 around an existing 1913 carriage house. The City of Tulsa acquired the collection in the 1950s and continued to operate the museum for decades until 2008, when The University of Tulsa assumed management of the museum on behalf of the city.
Over time, the museum underwent five expansions before officials learned its aging buildings could no longer adequately provide the proper environment for the safekeeping of the collection.
The renovations that kicked off in 2021 took a year longer than expected to complete — and nearly 70% over its original budget, according to previous Flyer reporting.
As part of the reopening, Gilcrease officials have also launched a new annual membership program offering discounted guest admission, enhanced access to museum staff and collections and more.
Additional details about opening weekend festivities, exhibitions and visitor experiences will be announced in the coming months.
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