We love visiting museums year-round, but January often calls for museum visits out of necessity. A visit to a museum is a terrific way to keep kids entertained indoors during the winter months. After you visit all Oklahoma City’s exciting museum offerings, here are a few museums that are worth the drive.
1919 Hina Hanta Way, Calera
Why We Love It: The Choctaw Cultural Center tells the 14,000-year history of the Chahta people. The abiding themes of compassion, courage and faith are apparent as visitors are guided through the rich history of the mound-building ancestors to the struggle against the destruction of colonizers and the triumph of the Nation in modern times. The kid-friendly Luksi Activity Center has two home structures as well as a lookout and slide. Engaging vignettes in the galleries offer interactive learning opportunities throughout.
3000 E. Logan Rd., Weatherford
Why We Love It: Some of the greatest artifacts of the aviation world are housed at this museum, located an hour west of Oklahoma City. Kids love the larger-than-life displays and parents love all the opportunities for their kids to get inspired by science and space. The staff has carefully curated a collection of rockets, engines and airplanes on display in the massive museum and encourages kids to get a close look at artifacts that explain the history of air and space travel.
1720 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore
Why We Love It: This is one of our favorite places to learn about the history of our state. The museum, located two hours northeast of Oklahoma City, is housed on land that was once the personal estate of famous Oklahoman Will Rogers. Today, the 20-acre museum grounds include indoor and outdoor displays of art and history. Kids stay entertained with video kiosks revealing the incredible cowboy trick roping talents of Rogers and others, a famous saddle collection and detailed displays of early life in Oklahoma. The museum’s lower level houses interactive exhibits especially for young visitors.
867 Cooper Memorial Dr., Sulphur
Why We Love It: Travel just an hour and a half south of Oklahoma City to find one of the greatest displays of Native American history and heritage in the country. This center boasts massive indoor and outdoor exhibits that keep visitors of all ages entertained. The facility educates visitors on a wide variety of American Indian history from the somber Removal Corridor exhibits to the celebratory displays of Native dancing and singing. Much more than a museum, this facility puts all elements of Native American life on display in an outdoor village with language lessons, storytelling, living history performances, cooking demonstrations and more.
2229 W. Gary Blvd., Clinton
Why We Love It: Kids are drawn into this museum by the shiny classic car on display in the front window. Once they get inside, they’re entertained with an interactive trail that takes visitors through the history of iconic Route 66 and the impact it made on Oklahoma and the rest of the country. The museum is located about an hour and a half west of Oklahoma City. A favorite element for all ages is a 1950s replica diner next door to the museum where visitors can see what a road trip stop was like for the early travelers on Route 66.
If you are looking for more Oklahoma vacation spots, check out our vast collection of Sooner State family getaways.
