City gets funds for cultural center

By John Sutter
The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City received today $3.25 million in federal money for its future American Indian Cultural Center.



Construction on the museum, which has been 20 years in coming, will begin before year's end. The approximately $100-million center will be located along the Oklahoma River between Interstate 35 and Reno Avenue.

The center is expected to open in 2007, a date that has been pushed back from original plans.

Promoters have said the museum will attract national attention. The center has applied to be an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute in conjunction with the Oklahoma Historical Society. That relationship would allow the museum to borrow objects and access traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian.

The center will focus on interpretations of American Indian culture rather than artifact displays.

This really is major. I don't feel like many people are aware of what a big deal this center is. We are very fortunate for it to be locating here and it will be a great eastern anchor for the river development.

I think it is a great compliment to our other cultural attractions and I am glad to see us getting such a high profile attraction that also has such real substance. Sometimes we talk about needing more landmarks, which are always nice even if contrived, but I think projects like this one are much more rewarding in the long run.

I would love to see that end of the river continue to concentrate on civic attractions.

I'm an optimist but the vague plans (both conceptually and schematics) for this project really worry me.


I hope I'm wrong but I've always had a bad feeling about this.

Me too MalibuSooner. There just hasn't been a lot of publicity about financing, plans, etc. I've always wondered if it was still on the table, or a figment of someone's imagination.

The center will focus on interpretations of American Indian culture rather than artifact displays.

What does this even mean?

I have no idea what this place is going to be like or used for. I'm beginning to believe it's going to be like a convention center for the tribes, but who knows.


OKC sure gave them a nice, big piece of land and it seems the citizens should know more about their plans.