The second biggest city in the state of Okalhoma and the 47th biggest city by population in the entire United States, Tulsa is a popular city in which to live and work. Located mostly in Tulsa County, but also extending into Wagoner County, Rogers County, and Osage County, Tulsa is home to over 400,000 people, with close to a million in the surrounding metropolitan area. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.
3 Best RV Parks in Tulsa, OK
- Overview, Photo: jedphoto/stock.adobe.com
- Canyon Creek RV Park, Photo: OceanProd/stock.adobe.com
- Warrior RV Park, Photo: maho/stock.adobe.com
- Expo Square RV Park, Photo: Ocskay Mark/stock.adobe.com
- Cover Photo: Andrey Armyagov/stock.adobe.com
Attraction Spotlight: Tulsa Art Deco Museum
The Tulsa Art Deco Museum is a boutique museum set in the marbled lobby of Tulsa's historic Philcade Building on Boston Avenue in the heart of Tulsa’s Deco District that boasts a spectacular collection of items and objets d’art from the city’s golden age of Art Deco. Established to present and preserve Tulsa’s rich Art Deco heritage through inspiring exhibits and educational programs, the Museum’s collection includes functional furniture, home décor pieces, advertising artwork from the era, and glassworks. The Tulsa Art Deco Museum also has a quaint 1920s-themed gift shop that offers a unique range of items reminiscent of Tulsa's sumptuous heritage, and a casual café serving hot drinks and light meals.
The Building
Located at the corner of 5th & Boston in the heart of downtown Tulsa on what was once the original site of the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, The Philcade is one of Tulsa’s most beautiful and famous examples of Art Deco architecture. Designed by Architect Leon Senter, who became one of Tulsa’s most notable architects, the building features 13 floors of office space, a two-story shopping arcade, and a luxury penthouse on the 14th floor. Completed in 1937, The Philcade was the first fully air-conditioned office building in Tulsa.
Collections / Exhibits
The Tulsa Art Deco Museum features a series of self-guided window exhibits of Art Deco artifacts, objets d’art, and another piece from the stylish era, as well as interpretive maps of Tulsa’s Deco District. Permanent and ongoing exhibitions include 1980s Deco Echo - William Franklin Private Collection, Frankart by Arthur von Frankenburg - Debby Kelsey Private Collection, Smoking Hot! - Debby Kelsey Private Collection, The Changing Yearbook – William Franklin Private Collection, Tulsa's Lost Art Deco, and Egyptian Art Deco - Debby Kelsey Private Collection.
Local Attractions
Set on the banks of the Arkansas River in Oklahoma, Tulsa is renowned for its first-class Art Deco architecture, particularly in the central Deco District. Landmark buildings include the Philcade and Philtower buildings, which reflect the massive construction boom fueled by the oil industry that took place in the city in the 20th-century, and the magnificent Italianate villa-style Philbrook Museum of Art, which was once the home of a local oil magnate.
Other local attractions in the city include the Gilcrease Museum, which houses one of the world’s most extensive collections of artwork of the American West, along with some artifacts from Central and South America. Named for Thomas Gilcrease, an oilman, and avid art collector, the Museum is located on North Gilcrease Museum Road northwest of downtown Tulsa and is one of the top Tulsa attractions.
Located on 15th Street in “The Cherry Street District” of Tulsa, the Tulsa Farmers’ Market is a popular market that offers fresh locally produced items during the warmer months of the year. It first opened in 1998 and was initially called the Cherry Street Farmers’ Market. The market’s goal is only to sell products that are local, seasonal, and sustainable.
511 S Boston Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74103, Phone: 918-417-6544
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Attraction Spotlight: The Cave House
The Cave House in Tulsa, Oklahoma was built in 1924, allegedly as a speakeasy, complete with secret escape tunnels. The eclectic structure is now a private home, and offers tours by appointment. The quirky structure is built into the foot of a hill just west of downtown Tulsa. The original portion of the home resembles a cave-like structure, with hand-shaped rock-like projections above the windows and front door.
At the back of the original structure is where the supposed bar is located, complete with clamshell-shaped stage. The area has since been closed off with a cement wall, the cave having been long ago absorbed into the hillside behind it. A more traditionally-shaped adobe structure was added in the 1940’s and is reached by a steep, winding staircase from the back of the original building. A slide from the upper bedroom leads back into the lower level sitting room. Removable floorboards are found in the upstairs bedroom, allowing access to a secret hiding spot.
The current owner, who does not live in the home, has furnished and decorated the interior with an eclectic mix of found objects, including thousands of sticks, which hang from ceilings, make up a cocoon-like four-poster bed, and stack against the walls. A tree decorated with hanging found keys is said to appease a spirit who lives in the house. Two seats removed from a mini van serve as parlor chairs, an homage to a mechanic who once lived in the home. Additional found objects, many of which were donated, include artifacts from the 1920’s, bones, and pop-culture tchotchke.
History: Joseph Koberling Sr. and James Purzer built the Cave House in 1924 as a chicken restaurant named the Cave Garden. Joseph Koberling was a mason as well as a respected Tulsa architect, who, according to stories, thought if he could build a home, he could fry a chicken. The Cave Garden was a restaurant by day, serving meals outdoors, and as legend has it, became a speakeasy at night, serving alcohol indoors. The famous fried chicken and apple pies brought guests from all over, even truckers passing through town would park across the street and take time from their drive to enjoy the chicken. The drinking and dancing brought another type of guest. Among the famous outlaws who are rumored to have spent time at the speakeasy is the infamous bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd and his gang of outlaws.
In the 1940’s, the Cave was expanded and converted into a home. The building allegedly continued to be a site of bootleg production well into the 1960’s. Residents who live in the hills above the home attest to the presence of a series of tunnels that provided several ‘secret’ entrances and exits. Although unproven, rumors have it that the tunnels, all entrances to which are currently sealed off with cement, hold the remains of victims of the Ku Klux Klan, and that one tunnel in particular leads to the nearby Newblock Park which is alleged to be the site of a mass grave of victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots.
The home has gained cult status in Tulsa, is included in several Tulsa landmark tours, and has been featured on HGTV’s Home Strange Home program, in addition to vast amounts of coverage on the local news. Owner Linda Collins purchased the home on a whim as someone who ‘always wanted to see inside.’
Ongoing Programs and Education: ‘I’ve Always Wanted to See Inside’ Tours are offered by appointment only. Tours are most often scheduled on weekends with the occasional holiday-themed special tour. Visitors who tour the home are treated to an entertaining visit with current owner Linda Collins. Ms. Collins has collected a number of stories over the years, and her tours touch on Tulsa history as well. Although not all the stories are true, Linda tells them all.
Many visitors claim to have seen the ghost of the original owner, James Purzer, in the home. Ella is a one-time occupant whose ghost continues to roam the home. Ella’s family claims she hid a diamond necklace inside the house, which has never been found. The Cave House is one of the stops on the Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa’s Haunted Landmark Tour.
What’s Nearby: The cave house is located directly across from Tulsa’s Newblock Park, an 85-acre municipal park with softball fields and picnic tables.
1623 W. Charles Page Blvd. Tulsa, OK 74127, Phone: 918-378-1952
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Attraction Spotlight: Gilcrease Museum
The Gilcrease Museum is recognized as one of the premier facilities that preserves, promotes, and researches American art and history. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Gilcrease Museum is the premier facility for the exploration of art and history in the Tulsa community.
Founded in 1949 by Thomas Gilcrease, a Tulsa oilman, the Gilcrease Museum has risen to being recognized as one of the most renowned facilities with a comprehensive collection of American art. Tom Gilcrease as born in Robiline, Louisiana, and was the first of fourteen children to be born. Soon after Tom was born, his family moved to the Creek Nation, which was located within the Oklahoma Territory.
Growing up, Tom helped his family run their fields and store. Although he received a minimal amount of education, Tom loved to read and explore the world around him. Since his name was plastered on the Creek tribal rolls, Tom was eligible to receive an area of land equal to 160 acres. The income from the 30 wells on his land helped Tom save enough funds to attend the Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
After marrying Belle Harlow and having two children, Tom was infatuated with the idea of owning an oil patch. This led him to create an exploration company in 1922. Three years after he created his exploration company, Tom traveled to Europe. Although this trip gave Tom ideas of how to expand his business, this trip led to Tom pursuing a passion within collecting art. Although he loved European art, Tom decided to collect objects that were closer to his heritage. So, he sought out artifacts and art from Native American culture.
In the late 1930s, Tom moved to San Antonio, Texas. Throughout his time in San Antonio, Tom’s personal art collection grew to be so extensive he formed the Thomas Gilcrease Foundation. This foundation served as a place to preserve and house his collection. It should be noted this display of art is often regarded as the first museum that as solely dedicated to preserving and showcasing Western American art.
Although Tom’s collection continued to expand, members of the San Antonio community never took a strong liking to his collection. So, Tom closed the small display in the late 1940s, and relocated his museum and business back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Thomas Gilcrease Museum was officially established in 1949.
The Gilcrease Museum’s permanent collection is comprised of two sections: art and anthropology. The extensive art collection features a variety of sculptures, paintings, and other art forms. Art pieces in this collection date back to the first colonial portraits that were done in New England, and range to more modern 20th century pieces of art. The largest concentration within the permanent art collection is within art from Native American artists. There are approximately over 400 years of Native American art showcased within over 13,000 pieces of artwork.
The anthropology portion of the Gilcrease Museum’s permanent collection features a variety of artifacts that resemble over 250,000 specimens, historic events, and cultural significances. The anthropology collection focuses on historic aspects of North, Central, and South America. Artifacts date back to the original prehistoric groups and civilizations.
For more information about the permanent attractions at the Gilcrease Museum, check out the Museum’s online archives.
The Gilcrease Museum hosts various special attractions throughout the year. In order to give you a glimpse into the typical special attractions at the Gilcrease Museum, here are some of the current special attractions on display.
Like many other renowned museums, the Gilcrease Museum values education. Visitors have the option of participating in various educational opportunities at the Gilcrease Museum, such as specialized tours, classes, workshops, and lectures.
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1400 N Gilcrease Museum Rd, Tulsa, OK 74127, Phone: 918-596-2700
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