The City of Tulsa and Gilcrease Museum officials hosted a ribbon cutting of the Gilcrease Museum building on Friday, Nov. 22, celebrating the nearly complete construction of the new building. The museum is expected to open to the public in Fall 2026.

 

“As we open the doors to the new Gilcrease Museum to the public for the first time, we celebrate a historic milestone on a project that will transform Tulsa's cultural legacy for generations," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. "As home to the greatest collection of American art outside of the federal government, this world-class facility ensures that these treasures will continue to educate and inspire both Tulsans and visitors for years to come. This is a proud day for our city, and I am thrilled to see this project come to life." 

 

“Today, we celebrate a major milestone in the road to the reimaged Gilcrease Museum,” said Brian Lee Whisenhunt, Executive Director and CEO of the Gilcrease Museum. “On behalf of President Carson and The University of Tulsa, I offer heartfelt thanks to the men and women of Smith Group architecture firm and Flintco Construction, who imagined and then built this stunning structure overlooking Osage Hills in north Tulsa. The Gilcrease leadership and team are thankful for the citizens of Tulsa who approved Vision2025 making this building possible, as well as the members and donors of Gilcrease Museum who continue to support this Tulsa treasure through this multi-year process. As our staff prepares to move in early next year, the exciting journey of relocating our collection and creating inspiring galleries will begin. This is just the first of a number of phases on the path towards the formal opening of Gilcrease Museum in late 2026.”

 

“As a member of the Tulsa community for over 116 years, Flintco is honored to partner with the City of Tulsa and Gilcrease Museum in reimagining this cultural treasure,” said Russ Peevy, Vice President of the Flintco Tulsa office. “It's a privilege to help transform an institution that belongs to all Tulsans and will share Mr. Gilcrease's remarkable legacy with visitors from around the world for generations to come.”

 

The Gilcrease Museum will host multiple community activities and workshops throughout next year, with the exhibition installation beginning in late 2025. The new Gilcrease Museum is expected to open to the public in Fall 2026.

 

The City of Tulsa contributed $91,517,113 to fund the construction of the new building, with $65 million allocated from Vision Tulsa funds and $10 million from voter approved Improve Our Tulsa 3 funds. Remaining city funding was allocated through deferred Gilcrease project funds, American Rescue Plan Act Funds, and project savings. An additional $49 million from private donations also helped make the project possible.  

 

The museum includes a collection of more than 350,000 items reflecting the art, culture and history of North America, representing hundreds of Indigenous cultures from across North and South America, with works of art and artifacts from 12,000 BCE to the 21st century. With voter approved funds and private support, the re-envisioned 91,000-square-foot building will boast a much-improved space that meets contemporary standards for care of Gilcrease’s extensive collection and touring exhibitions.

 

The City of Tulsa recognizes the teamwork for the new Gilcrease Museum:

A city owned and managed project, the new Gilcrease Museum is designed by SmithGroup, one of the world’s preeminent integrated design firms. Gilcrease Museum’s new building is conceptually centered on reconnecting humankind to nature. Located within the Osage Nation reservation boundaries, the new building design contains subtle references to Osage culture. The museum is conceived to align cardinal directions with natural elements and experiences: north/sky, south/earth, west/night, and east/day. The color and material palettes for the building reflect the art deco styles found throughout Tulsa, including the use of stone and gilded metals in concert with natural tones of the land and sky.

 

The lower level of the building is comprised of earth tones, creating a connection to the ground, while the upper level utilizes sky tones, blurring the line between architecture and the sky. A three-story atrium will help orient visitors while other spaces throughout the building frame views of downtown and north Tulsa, and panoramic views of the Osage Hills that will create experiential moments between visitors and the “Great American Landscape” that surrounds the museum and grounds.

 

Gilcrease Museum chose Gallagher & Associates, an internationally recognized museum and cultural institution planning and design firm, to design new exhibitions and galleries in collaboration with the Gilcrease curatorial team. The new museum will create opportunities for Gilcrease to better serve Tulsans and visitors through its programming and exhibitions while exploring broad, complex stories of American history, art and culture.

 

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