Our top must-sees before September!
Oklahoma’s diverse museums and art galleries allow visitors a chance to escape into stories in fine art pieces, join fun events with friends and explore thought-provoking expressions of creativity. The exhibitions on this list only last through September, and we highly suggest fitting some into your busy schedule before the true summer season ends.
Exhibit C Gallery
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See “Heartwork: Artistry by Modern First American Women” now through October 31, 2022, at Exhibit C in Bricktown. The exhibit showcases the works of four First American women from various tribes. The artists, all native to Oklahoma, include Natalie Miller, Amber L. DuBoise-Shepherd, Joyce Nevequaya-Harris and Danielle Fixico.
Oklahoma Contemporary
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Explore the vibrant flora and fauna of Oklahoma Contemporary’s latest exhibition through August 15! John Newsom: Nature’s Course features large-scale, richly textured, oil-on-canvas paintings that present complex allegories of the natural world. The exhibition includes the brand-new 9-by-18-foot Nature’s Course and Homecoming, another new painting referencing Newsom’s Oklahoma roots. Admission is free!
Science Museum Oklahoma
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The latest SMO 21 event invites adults age 21 and up to train for a special intergalactic mission on August 26. Mission Control objectives will include simulated missions, proper handling of space artifacts and rocket launch testing. General admission tickets are available for $25 in advance, $30 at the door, with VIP tickets available.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
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Sports fans will love the original exhibition by iconic sports photographer Walter looss Jr. through September 4! The Perfect Shot: Walter looss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography includes over 80 photographs spanning 50 years of looss’s career. The exhibition is divided into five sections: Anticipation, Perseverance, Triumph, Disappointment and Reflection, to highlight the universal emotions that athletes from around the world know well. With featured sports like basketball, football, gymnastics, boxing, golf, tennis and swimming, Perfect Shot also includes a number of iconic photographs of Michael Jordan, whom looss collaborated with over the course of many years.
Oklahoma Hall of Fame
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Vida Oklahoma, on display at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame through September 15, features artists Carlos Barboza and Isaac Diaz and explores themes of identity and experiences of these Latinx artists. Barboza paints large-scale works of art and is most known for his colorful murals featuring key figures in history and pop culture. Diaz creates ceramic vessels inspired by history and ancestral connections. Their works express different histories and cultures that contribute to Oklahoma’s diverse population.
American Banjo Museum
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Get ready for a full weekend of performances, jamming, workshops and socializing at the annual Banjo Fest at the American Banjo Museum, September 22-24. This year, five incredible musicians will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, making it a year not to miss!
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
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The Bearded Lady Project, a brainchild of paleobotanist Ellen Currano and filmmaker Lexi Jamieson Marsh, challenges gender biases in the sciences, specifically paleontology, in two parts. First, the feature film celebrating the unsung achievements of women in paleontology and their obstacles. Second, Currano and Marsh collaborate through photography to poke a bit of fun at the burly-bearded stereotypes who dominate the current professional landscape. Don’t miss this thought-provoking exhibit at the Sam Noble Museum through September 25.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
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Artworks featured in the 50th annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale range from impressionistic to historical, and you don’t want to miss them at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Come see original artworks from the nation’s premier Western art exhibition through August 7.
Factory Obscura at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art
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SYNESTHESIA is a new immersive art experience by Factory Obscura, inspired by the color and textural elements of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art permanent collection. SYNESTHESIA allows participants to open their senses in an immersive space and explore what exists beyond the canvas. It’s open Tuesday-Sunday and admission is always free! During your visit, check out the Factory Obscura Pop-Up Shop inside Fred Jones, where you’ll find handmade goods from local artists and Factory Obscura merch you won’t find anywhere else. Luckily you have until June 4, 2023, but a must-see nonetheless.
What other fun plans do you have before summer ends or as a back-to-school treat? Let us know in the comments!
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