Curious Collections

Oklahoma is home to more than a hundred museums, but these six are sure to leave an impression on visitors of all ages.

BY COOPER MARSHALL

his death in 1998, he donated his array of vintage vehicles—like a 1922 Franklin featured in the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon movie—mining tools, a mummified cat, and more to the city he called home. Rock hounds particularly enjoy perusing the extensive mineral and fossil collection, which includes a UV-lit darkroom where fluorescent stones cast an eerie glow. 19934 East Pine Street in Catoosa, (918) 266-3612 or cityofcatoosa.org museum opened in a former Guthrie drugstore in 1992, but many of the glass bottles within are much older. If gazing at all those forbidden liquids leaves you parched, stop by the counter store, where you can purchase sarsaparilla that’s guaranteed safe to drink. 214 West Oklahoma Avenue in Guthrie, (405) 282-1895 or drugmuseum.org

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Those interested in historical artifacts from minerals and fossils to cars should spend a few hours at the D.W. Correll Museum in Catoosa. Correll was a longtime resident of Catoosa who had a large private collection, but after

2 Definitely don’t drink anything on display in the Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum, which contains one of the largest collections of narcotics, physician’s tools, and other sometimesfrightening medical ephemera. The

3Thanks to the Pioneer Woman, Pawhuska now has some of the best food in the state, but it also has a delicious history. Located in Pawhuska, the Osage County Historical Society Museum houses exhibits about the Boy Scouts—the first troop was established here—the Osage people, ballerinas

Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, and more. There’s even a section that invites visitors to guess what old tools and contraptions are for. Bibliophiles will want to check out the museum’s gift shop for out-of-print and rare books. 700 Lynn Avenue in Pawhuska, (918) 287-9119 or visittheosage.com

Astrobleme Museum provides an idea of what it looked like through an animated video. 109 East Main Street in Ames, (580) 753-4624 or aoghs.org/oklahomapetroleum-museums

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Millions of years ago, a meteor crashed into what would become the town of Ames, scaring the daylights out of nearby trilobites and other prehistoric marine creatures. The heavily researched astrobleme is around nine thousand feet deep and has an eight-mile diameter. While visitors can’t see the crater itself because it is totally covered, the Ames

5 Wind is so important to the state that it makes an appearance four words into our official song, so why not pay respect to our blustery master with a visit to Shattuck Windmill Museum & Park? Sixty-two windmills of all shapes and sizes are open to view at any time. The park features terrestrial history too, with a dugout residence (otherwise known as a soddie) and an early pioneer cabin. 120 East 11th Street in Shattuck, (580) 938-5291 or shattuckok.com/windmillpark.html

6 Discover the stories behind sports legends at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Fittingly located in the same building as the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, this museum houses uniforms, art, photographs, and other memorabilia celebrating some of the talented athletes and coaches from Oklahoma. Featured hall of famers from this year are Sandy Fischer, a celebrated Oklahoma State University softball coach, and former footballer and track star James Trapp. The Jim Thorpe Museum also is located inside of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. 20 South Mickey Mantle Drive in Oklahoma City, (405) 427-1400 or oklahomasportshalloffame.org