Tulsa’s beloved cultural institution invites visitors to rediscover the art, history and culture of the Americas through an experience unlike any other
TULSA, Okla. — After more than five years of anticipation, Gilcrease Museum today announced it will reopen to the public in March 2027, welcoming visitors into a reimagined museum experience that brings together one of the most significant collections of art, history and culture in the Americas.
Closed since July 4, 2021, for the demolition of its original facility and construction of a new museum, Gilcrease is undergoing a $140.9 million transformation that represents a bold new chapter for one of Oklahoma's most treasured cultural institutions.
More than 75 years after Thomas Gilcrease, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, established a museum in Tulsa to tell the stories of the Americas, the reopening further integrates the museum, the Helmerich Center for American Research, the historic Thomas Gilcrease House and its surrounding natural landscape as a single destination for research, learning and public engagement.
Guided by its new brand promise, UNPARALLELED – Bringing art, history and people together to understand the diverse heritage of the Americas, the new Gilcrease will invite visitors to discover one of the nation’s most interdisciplinary collections, with more than 300,000 items spanning 12,000 years of history across the Western Hemisphere. The Gilcrease Collection encompasses Anglo-American art and history, including colonial portraiture and art of the American West; Indigenous art and history, from ancestral cultural materials to contemporary Native art; and colonial Latin American materials, represented across paintings and sculptures, prints and drawings, photographs, manuscripts and archives, rare books and material culture.
“Gilcrease has long been a place where art, history and people come together to tell the many interconnected stories of the Americas. The reopening of Gilcrease marks an extraordinary moment not only for Tulsa, but for the entire nation. 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. We have thoughtfully reimagined Gilcrease, creating new and meaningful connections while honoring the many cultures and voices that make this collection truly unparalleled,” said Brian Lee Whisenhunt, executive director and CEO of Gilcrease.
Nestled within Tulsa’s scenic Osage Hills, the museum features 14 permanent collection galleries designed for self-guided exploration, presenting interconnected stories through multiple cultural lenses, including Indigenous nations, the American West, Latin America and the many communities whose histories continue to shape our understanding of the Americas. Beyond the galleries, visitors can explore 460 acres of natural landscape connected by 14 miles of trails for hiking and biking.
“The opening of Gilcrease will soon be a reality because Tulsans believed in the future of this incredible asset and worked to make this transformation possible," Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. "Gilcrease reflects what we can accomplish when Tulsa works together with partners across our region and honors the sovereign tribal nations whose histories and cultures are an essential part of the story that Gilcrease tells. The new Gilcrease will be a place where people from Tulsa, Oklahoma and around the world can come together to better understand our history and honor the sovereign land we stand on today."
For nearly two decades, The University of Tulsa has stewarded Gilcrease, caring diligently for the collection and working to increase affinity and support. As a research university, UTulsa faculty have made fascinating discoveries from within the archives and have partnered with scholars from around the globe by facilitating access to one-of-a-kind documents, objects, works of art and other items.
“The City of Tulsa and The University of Tulsa relationship is an important public-private partnership for the future of Tulsa and our collective global reach,” said President Stacy Leeds, a former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court justice and lifelong student of history. “While serious researchers have still been able to engage with the Gilcrease collection during the museum’s closure, this new facility will open up the stories of the Americas for people of all ages and varied interests – from art and anthropology, to textiles and cartography.”
The new Gilcrease Museum is designed by SmithGroup, one of the world’s preeminent integrated design firms and a leading voice in design for cultural institutions, in collaboration with G&A, one of the only fully integrated experience design studios in the world. Each gallery offers an opportunity for discovery while leaving room for visitors to bring their own experiences, knowledge and perspectives to the stories presented. The new Gilcrease Museum has also been designed with today’s visitors in mind, creating opportunities to capture, share and extend the museum experience with others.
Annual memberships are now available at Gilcrease.org/Join, offering supporters an opportunity to help usher in a new era for the museum while enjoying exclusive preview days and year-round benefits.
Membership options include:
- Core Memberships – Individual, Dual, and Family levels with annual admission benefits, exclusive communications, and opportunities to connect with Gilcrease.
- Gilcrease 365 Membership – A dollar a day for Gilcrease, with expanded household benefits including reciprocal benefits, discounted guest admission, and enhanced access.
- Gilcrease Collection Circles – A personalized membership experience that brings members closer to Gilcrease with access to museum staff, collections, and experiences tailored to their interests.
"Membership is one of the most meaningful ways our community can shape the next chapter of Gilcrease,” said Whisenhunt. “Every member helps ensure these remarkable collections continue inspiring curiosity, conversation and discovery for generations to come. We invite everyone to be part of this historic reopening and experience the new Gilcrease."
As the only museum in Oklahoma with a dedicated conservation department, Gilcrease is one of the country’s leading centers for preservation, collections stewardship and scholarship. Through the Helmerich Center, the museum provides researchers, students and communities with access to extensive archives and scholarly resources that foster new understandings of the Americas and ensure these collections remain accessible for future generations.
Additional details about opening weekend festivities, exhibitions and visitor experiences will be announced in the coming months. For more information, to purchase a membership or to receive reopening updates, visit gilcrease.org.
