T H E MU S E UM E X P E R I E NC E You can find several awe-inspiring museum experiences throughout OKC. The National Cowboy &WesternHeritageMuseum is legendary and a great place to start. As America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture, it is a Mecca for visitors world-wide. Their annual Prix deWest invitational art exhibit draws works from the historical to the contemporary and is billed as “North America’s topWestern art happening.” The museum also offers exquisite exhibits showcasing not only cowboy life, but Native American culture as well. As one of the crown jewels of Automobile Alley, the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center provides a space for all to come and experience contemporary art, encounter new ideas and explore creative potential. With free exhibitions and related programming, the OK Contemporary encourages artistic expressions in all its forms. In the hustle and bustle of downtown, you can find the beloved Oklahoma CityMuseumof Art . As one of the region’s leading arts institutions, this museum offers visitors the opportunity to see a vast cross section of artists, movements and mediums with their annual exhibitions. Their ever-growing permanent collection boasts one of the world’s largest public collections of Dale Chihuly glass. Alongside the museum is the Samuel Roberts NobleTheater where you can catch screenings of some of the best international, independent and documentary films. Just a few blocks away, you can find 21cMuseumHotel Oklahoma City . Seamlessly integrated into this high-end luxury hotel is a sleek, modern art museum that is free and open to the public 365 days a year. With 14,000 square feet of exhibition space and a rotating exhibition schedule, 21c offers up what’s fresh in contemporary art. The Red Earth Art Center’s new location in the south lobby of the renovated BancFirst Tower downtown features expanded gallery space showcasing American Indian fine art, including paintings, sculpture, pottery and basketry. Red Earth also operates a one-of-a-kind gift shop adjacent to the gallery. And last, but certainly not least, the First Americans Museum is another to add to your list. While not solely billed as an art museum, it does use First American art and artifacts to tell the collective histories of Oklahoma’s 39 distinct tribal nations. Year-round programming also features performing artists, musicians and dancers that are truly captivating.
We, the people of the Modern Frontier, have embraced a long history of doing things our own way. Our creative drive for innovation might be best illustrated in our passion for the arts. You don’t have to go far to see how artists are leaving their mark on Oklahoma City’s cultural landscape. From the classically trained to the wildly inventive, our city is home to visonary thinkers, doers and creators. When in OKC, inspiration is always just around the corner. Art Scene
FAC T ORY OB S CUR A If you seek a completely unique, out-of-this-world experiential immersion, then visiting Factory Obscura is a must. There is nothing else quite like it. For Factory, their mantra is “the future is collaborative.” This hands-on exhibition is meant to take you into another dimension, one that uses all your senses. Factory Obscura will spark a sense of wonder through newmedia environments of sights, sounds and all the feels. The current iteration, Mix-Tape, is the first permanent installation of its kind in OKC. Housed in the iconicWomb gallery, Factory Obscura is not just an expression of love to the community, but also built by the community itself. Full- time artists work with an army of volunteers to create an immersive environment accessible for all to enjoy.
PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES PEPPER HENRY
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