Tulsa in the Teens: From Boomtown to Oil Capital

through February 2014
Although the decade of the 1910s was consumed with the oil business there was certainly much more to everyday life than petroleum production. Tulsans built houses, established businesses to support their growing city, founded churches and schools, and began cultural organizations. The “Tulsa in the Teens” exhibit showcases both the industrial and domestic sides of life as well as the photographs and artifacts that represent the two.

Theatre Tulsa: 90 Years in the Spotlight

through August 31, 2013
Since being founded in 1922, Theater Tulsa has entertained audiences for 90 years and holds the title of the oldest, continuously-operating theater west of the Mississippi. Those nine decades have been filled with productions, actors, costumes, and props that all have interesting tales to tell. Many of those items – including costumes, props, photographs, and programs – will be in the spotlight during the upcoming exhibit.

Tulsa Colors & Oklahoma Icons: Art by Heathyr Chenoweth & Maegan Kauffman

through May 25, 2013
This unique art exhibit features the art of two talented Tulsa artists with very different styles. While Chenoweth paints brightly-colored, acrylic renditions of local landmarks using a style nicknamed “electric impressionism”, Kauffman sketches charcoal and graphite portraits of Oklahomans in an attempt to keep the tradition of portraiture alive. Their complementary styles work together to provide a glimpse into contemporary Tulsa art.

Songdogs: The Journey of Michael & Suzanne Wallis

Early on Michael and Suzanne Wallis discovered that life was all the richer if it was lived in pursuit of a story. During their travels together and apart, they met storytellers whose lore was irresistible, and have savored every detail. As the Wallis’s learned lessons in history, it was the little oddity here and there that caught their attention and brought the past to life. They describe how many times they followed their urge to go the extra step or take the curious detour, knowing that in so doing they would be gathering fodder for stories of their own. Michael and Suzanne have been relentless in their quest and by listening to wisdom keepers, seeking history’s secrets, and turning their own lives into an adventure, they have acquired a rich collection of souvenirs, both tangible and intangible.

WARREN: the man, the company

OPENING SOON
Inspired by the oil boom of the early twentieth-century, Tennessean William K. Warren moved to Oklahoma and began the Warren Petroleum Company. Warren Petroleum was the largest producer and marketer of natural gasoline and LPG (propane) in the world by the early 1950s.

A Few of Our Favorite Things II

through May 2013
A whimsical opportunity to view some of the artifacts in the THS collection that have never been on exhibit. A variety of items, selected by museum staff include: a credenza belonging to Nelle Jackson, floorboards from Cain’s Ballroom, clothing belonging to Fred and Jane Clinton, art deco lighting fixtures, a variety of celebrity photos, and much more.

Timeline of Tulsa History: a Brief Journey Through Tulsa’s Past

Ongoing
A general historical overview featuring significant events and time periods in Tulsa’s rich history. The exhibit begins with the Creek Indians who settled Tulsa in the 1830s and provides a brief look at Tulsa’s past through events that have affected the city’s development and helped shape the Tulsa of today.

Life of a House: A History of the Travis Mansion

ongoing

A series of photographs tells the history of the mansion the Historical Society now calls home. Images and information trace the changes in the structure from the early years when the Travis Family lived in the house through the purchase and recent renovation by THS.

Whiteside Portrait Painters: Notable Tulsans Series

Ongoing

Whiteside Portrait Painters is an informal collection of artists who meet weekly to draw or paint a live model. The Portrait Painters, in conjunction with the Tulsa Historical Society, have begun a project to paint famous Tulsans, the results of which can now be seen in the Whiteside Portrait gallery. The gallery will be updated every two months.