Left: A young visitor gazes in wonder as a vibrant animal comes to life on screen at the FAMily Discovery Center. Right: A young boy explores one of the many hands-on STEAM activities, learning through play in a space designed for imagination and discovery. Photos provided by First Americans Museum.
The 5,000-square-foot center blends play and tradition, celebrating the 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Imagine stepping inside a giant pop-up book where larger-than-life animal relatives greet you and the seasons change around you. On Sept. 20, 2025, First Americans Museum (FAM) will debut the FAMily Discovery Center (FDC), a two-story, 5,000-square-foot attraction that transforms the wonder of a pop-up book into a full-scale adventure.
Designed for children, families and learners of all ages, the FDC combines STEAM-inspired activities, hands-on play, immersive storytelling and groundbreaking visuals to create a first-of-its-kind experience in Oklahoma City, Okla.
"There is nowhere else like the FAMily Discovery Center," said Dr. Kelli Mosteller (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), FAM Executive Director. "It creates an important opportunity for all who visit to experience how deeply our Indigenous cultures are interwoven with the lands we call home – whether these are our ancestral homelands or not."
At the heart of the FDC are "The Fab Six," animal relatives inspired by traditional clan systems. Grandma Turtle, Rabbit, Deer, Coyote, Grandma Spider, and Red Tail Hawk welcome visitors into a vibrant forest filled with activities, scavenger hunts and cultural stories that celebrate the 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today. Special lighting and soundscapes transform the space as the seasons shift and day turns to night, allowing visitors to experience a full year in the forest within the span of an hour.
Visitors can discover 114 Oklahoma plants, animals and ecosystems while experiencing Indigenous values of respect, resilience, stewardship, and community – values that connect everyone.
Storyline Studio, a renowned exhibition design firm recognized for creating distinctive, story-driven environments, designed the FDC. Bringing the vision to life is U.K.-based illustrator Mark Oliver, whose geometric-focused artwork directly inspired the FDC's bold aesthetic. Notably, the team created the FDC entirely with vector-based Adobe Illustrator software; the space features 25-foot-tall illustrations that remain razor-sharp at an unmatched scale.
"To our knowledge, no other museum has attempted a vector-based environment at this scale," said William Smith, Principal of Storyline Studio. "This is where design meets technology, guided by deep respect for Native cultures. Using vector-based tools, we created crisp, vibrant artwork that scales seamlessly; every detail, from 25-foot trees to tiny animals, retains perfect sharpness. It has been an incredible honor bringing this vision to life, and I'm deeply proud of what our team accomplished together."
FAM Deputy Director Shoshana Wasserman (Thlopthlocco Tribal Town/Muscogee) and FAM Communications Project Manager Kimberly Rodriguez (Muscogee/Oglala Sioux) co-curated the space and have been involved with the project since its inception in 2018.
"This is more than an exhibit, it's a pop-up-book love letter," said Wasserman. "We designed the space to spark curiosity and strengthen connections across generations. Seeing adults, teens and children laughing and learning together is exactly what we hoped for and is a dream come true!"
As they wander through the forest, visitors will hear the voices of acclaimed artists, including Joy Harjo, (Muscogee) the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, and actor, writer, singer, and prolific audiobook narrator, Commander John Herrington (Chickasaw), NASA astronaut who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor in 2002 and actor Shaun Taylor-Corbett (Blackfeet), among others. Traditional motifs and cultural values are woven throughout the space, reflecting the stories of many different Indigenous cultures. By embedding these perspectives into every design choice, the FDC ensures that Indigenous families see their stories come to life. At the same time, non-Native visitors recognize the natural world and learn something new about the stories, values, and traditions that connect people across cultures.
Timed-entry tickets are on sale now at famok.org, and entry into the FDC is included in the general admission price. Families should reserve their tickets now to be among the first to experience this brand new space.
