My husband and I have long Oklahoma “roots” and we’ve made a deliberate point to expose our children to the rich history and eco-diversity of our native state. Spelunking at Alabaster Caverns, boulder-hopping at the top of Mount Scott (Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge), roasting hotdogs around the campfire near the Glover River in Southeast Oklahoma.... We’ve had our share of fun exploring Oklahoma!

Here is my Top Ten list of historic places all Oklahoma kids should see before they turn 12. There were many choices in each category, but in the final analysis, only those that included opportunities for family fun made the final list. Happy trails!

1. Ancient History: Sam Noble Okahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman is the perfect place for learning about Oklahoma’s earliest natural history. Dinosaurs, anyone? (Also consider the dinosaur tracks at Black Mesa State Park in the far NW corner of the Panhandle and Spiro Mounds near Spiro).

2. Native Americans: Two distinct groups called Oklahoma home long before statehood and in order to truly understand our state’s rich Native American heritage, you have to make two important stops. Discover the Plains Indian tribal history in Anadarko (several museums and Indian City USA) and the Five Civilized Tribes via two neighboring cities in eastern Oklahoma—Muskogee and Tahlequah.

3. Pioneer History: The Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton focuses on interesting exhibits and outdoor structures that give a wonderful overview of early pioneer days in the state. (See also Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City and Museum of the Cherokee Strip and Humphrey Heritage Village in Enid.)

4. Overall Oklahoma History: Your family will experience all facets of Oklahoma’s rich history at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. (While you're at the Oklahoma History Center, take some time to tour the Oklahoma State Capitol.)

5. Oklahoma People: The purpose of the new Oklahoma Heritage Center in Oklahoma City is to tell the story about Oklahoma’s people. Hands-on, interactive exhibits tell those stories with flare in the beautifully-restored historic building. (Another favorite is the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore and the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, where Will grew up, located near Oolagah.)

6. Agricultural Heritage: The Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Duncan uses high-tech features to help visitors understand first-hand the experience along the Chisholm Trail. (Another favorite: Museum of the Cherokee Strip, Enid.)

7. Oil History: The discovery of oil in Oklahoma caused an economic boom in the late 1890s which, overall, has served the state well. Many Oklahoma cities and attractions were developed and expanded due to the oil boom of the 1920s and beyond. Head to Bartlesville and visit the Frank Phillips Mansion (founder, Phillips 66: now Conoco-Phillips), Johnstone Park (the site of Oklahoma’s first commercial oil well and an old-fashioned kiddie amusement park), and Woolaroc (a retreat built by Frank Phillips which is now a world-class museum and wildlife preserve). (Other great oil towns include Tulsa, Ponca City, Ardmore, and Enid.)

8. Oklahoma Arts: The arts define who we are as Oklahomans. I think every child should tour the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City—more than once. There are many excellent places to enjoy beautiful art in Oklahoma, but I chose this museum because there are exciting history lessons in the paintings housed there. (Also, Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa; Oklahoma City Museum of Art, OKC, and Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman.)

9. Oklahoma Beginnings: The original capitol of Oklahoma, boasts several museums, including the Oklahoma Territorial Museum which helps visitors understand the significance of the 1889 Land Run. Located just north of Oklahoma City, Guthrie’s well-preserved historic downtown makes you feel like you’re walking through time. (Harn Homestead, Oklahoma City; Cherokee Strip Museum and Humphrey Heritage Center, Enid; the Oklahoma State Capitol, OKC.)

10. Transportation: A trip west on I-40 offers three towns whose attractions focus on the history of transportation. In Weatherford, check out the Stafford Air and Space Museum. In both Clinton and Elk City, families will find museums about Route 66 and all that the Mother Road meant to Oklahoma and the nation. Check out the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton and the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City. (Find out more about air travel at Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Science Museum Oklahoma in OKC.)

Sarah Taylor is publisher/owner of MetroFamily Magazine and previously edited and published two award-winning guidebooks to Oklahoma, Exploring Oklahoma with Children and Exploring Oklahoma Together. She and her husband John live in Edmond. They have three (beautiful) children.