First Americans Museum

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah the hours are awful. It’d be nice to have it extended later on the weekend to offer night life events like powwows and other traditions. Hopefully this is just temporary due to worker shortage.

[Swake]

Yeah the hours are awful. It’d be nice to have it extended later on the weekend to offer night life events like powwows and other traditions. Hopefully this is just temporary due to worker shortage.

I think you are confused. A pow-wow is not a "night life event". It's not a tourist event either.

[shawnw]

Hours seem comparable to the cowboy museum and not hearing complaints there.

[Plutonic Panda]

I think you are confused. A pow-wow is not a "night life event". It's not a tourist event either.

It’s a ceremony yes I’m aware of what they are. I was referring to education as re-enactments. I wouldn’t expect a real spiritual ceremony to take place here. Perhaps I should have worded my post better. Not sure about how often they take place at night but the two I’ve been to in my life were at night.

But not to detract from my overall point which is creating and fostering a nice nightlife scene here or rather events that take place from 6-7pm going to midnight is something I’d love to see. I’m sure something or some event can be found. Pay me money and I’ll research some ideas. I’m just spitballing here.

And there absolutely is a tourist element around powwows which are sought out by those who want to see them. There is nothing wrong with as long as people are respectful and it’s generally acceptable by almost all tribes from what I know.

[Plutonic Panda]

Hours seem comparable to the cowboy museum and not hearing complaints there.

Oh I’ve complained about it lol. I think the cowboy museum should be extended to at least 8-9pm. But I know there are staffing and funding issues. All things that can be worked out.

[Swake]

It’s a ceremony yes I’m aware of what they are. I was referring to education as re-enactments. I wouldn’t expect a real spiritual ceremony to take place here. Perhaps I should have worded my post better. Not sure about how often they take place at night but the two I’ve been to in my life were at night.

But not to detract from my overall point which is creating and fostering a nice nightlife scene here or rather events that take place from 6-7pm going to midnight is something I’d love to see. I’m sure something or some event can be found. Pay me money and I’ll research some ideas. I’m just spitballing here.

And there absolutely is a tourist element around powwows which are sought out by those who want to see them. There is nothing wrong with as long as people are respectful and it’s generally acceptable by almost all tribes from what I know.

First off, if you have been to Red Earth, it is not a Pow-Wow, it's a tourist event.

Real Pow-Wows, while they do take place mostly at night, they are not tourist events, they are cultural and community events for people from disparate tribes to come together and have a social event that celebrates Native cultures. The public is welcome to these events, but they are NOT "spiritual" or traditional events. Those kinds of gatherings are private to each specific tribe and the public is usually not welcome, you have to be specially invited to them.

Tribes in Oklahoma have usually not wanted to be used tourist draws, that's why this museum has at times had a hard time with many local tribes participation. If you want natives to play pretend dance at shows at night at the museum for people going out to eat and drink, you are confused.

[Plutonic Panda]

I’ve been to two and no they weren’t red earth events and I wasn’t invited to them. I’m not going to debate anymore on this issue as you are splitting hairs. Not sure if I offended you sorry if I did. As I sit in Mexican hat while typing this with my good friend who is very much involved in the Navajo nation which is deeply spiritual I can say with a good degree of confidence I am not confused but I am no expert on Native American Indian culture either. As I said, the last word is yours on this I was just throwing out ideas including powwow re-enactments, which is what I should have said. If re-enactments aren’t even a thing(which I’m not sure if they are) it should be at the discretion of the respective tribe(s).

[TheTravellers]

Although I'm looking forward to visiting, they aren't making it very easy with the very limited hours on weekdays (10-5, closed on Tuesday) and 11-5 Sat and Sun. Why no variation? If you just want to run one shift, then have it open on Mondays and Fridays from 12-7. Or Saturday from 9-3. Or ANYTHING that provides more options if increasing hours isn't possible.

Seems like their hours are pretty much the same as any other museum's hours, here in OKC and elsewhere...

[unfundedrick]

Since they are planning to eventually develop the surrounding land, perhaps it will include some things that are compatible with the museum that can include nighttime activities.

[Pete]

Took this last night.

They have installed illumination on the promontory walk to the top of the mound.

[5alive]

That should look so good after dark!

[shawnw]

Oh dang, didn't realize we'd be able to walk on the mound

[unfundedrick]

The mound is accessible from the second level of the museum.

[shawnw]

cool thanks

[Pete]

You don't even have to go inside the museum.

The path starts just inside the courtyard and winds all the way up.

You can start from the 2nd level of the museum as well.

[Pete]

[5alive]

An absolutely awesome facility...but...it looks like Mars. Trees please! Hundreds and hundreds of TREES!

[ChrisHayes]

An absolutely awesome facility...but...it looks like Mars. Trees please! Hundreds and hundreds of TREES!

You won't have to worry about trees in a couple years

[Dob Hooligan]

An absolutely awesome facility...but...it looks like Mars. Trees please! Hundreds and hundreds of TREES!

Suggest you step on over to the OKANA thread for the full vision of the area

[rjstone208]

Wife and I went today. WOW!! Everyone should go to this museum. Especially liked the video presentations. My wife is Chickasaw and the part covering the Sand Creek and Wa****a massacres and what the Feds and states did to assimilate First Peoples (my wife says that's a better term than First Americans) into American society was really emotional for her. She knew and had heard stories but the presentation at the FAM brought it home to her personally. The art, the stories and history displayed are outstanding and can be emotional for many visitors. Had lunch at the 39 restaurant. Again, excellent. Not a big menu but very good. Nothing disappointed. The mound is having work done on it and isn't open now. Our waitress said the view from the top is extraordinary. Can't wait for more.

[Pete]

^

Thanks for the review!

I agree, that place is not only first-class but provides a history lesson that most people were never taught. It's very moving.

[Mississippi Blues]

My wife is Chickasaw and the part covering the Sand Creek and Wa****a massacres and what the Feds and states did to assimilate First Peoples (my wife says that's a better term than First Americans) into American society was really emotional for her. She knew and had heard stories but the presentation at the FAM brought it home to her personally. The art, the stories and history displayed are outstanding and can be emotional for many visitors.

My wife and I took a guided tour several months ago and I had to briefly step away from the group to collect myself somewhere near the middle of the tour. Like your wife, I have heard stories throughout my life, mostly family stories passed down through the generations, but the way the museum brings it all together is quite powerful and moving, almost overwhelming depending on ones tolerance for past horrors. Of course, the museum is more than exhibits of excessive despondency. Everything from the stories of hope and community in existential perseverance, the creativity and symbolic meaning in the art, the recognition of the many tribes of Oklahoma, all of that and beyond, I came away pretty much speechless at just how world class everything felt.

[dankrutka]

I got to town via Greyhound today so I figured I'd walk the 5 blocks from the Greyhoud Station to FAM since I've been meaning to get there. As you might guess, the walkability is bad with dangerous crossings and sidewalks right against the street. I expected that, but I was particularly disappointed to find that the City did not include sidewalks in the brand new roads to FAM. I had to walk in the road to get there. How does that happen? I walked in the main entrance and no one was at the desk so the museum felt really empty and abandoned. However, that's where my complaints end.

Once I reached the second desk, I bought a ticket and started running into other people. The museum is really well done, particularly the videos. There's a lot of storytelling. The origin stories room is really an incredible experience. I wish I could have brought students to this museum when I was teaching Oklahoma History! The museum isn't huge, but it's all really well done all around. I had the Hominy Stew and Fry Bread at the Thirty Nine Restaurant for lunch and they were delicious. If you haven't been yet, I recommend getting there. This would be on my top few places I would take anyone who is visiting OKC.

[BoulderSooner]

I got to town via Greyhound today so I figured I'd walk the 5 blocks from the Greyhoud Station to FAM since I've been meaning to get there. As you might guess, the walkability is bad with dangerous crossings and sidewalks right against the street. I expected that, but I was particularly disappointed to find that the City did not include sidewalks in the brand new roads to FAM. I had to walk in the road to get there. How does that happen? I walked in the main entrance and no one was at the desk so the museum felt really empty and abandoned. However, that's where my complaints end.

Once I reached the second desk, I bought a ticket and started running into other people. The museum is really well done, particularly the videos. There's a lot of storytelling. The origin stories room is really an incredible experience. I wish I could have brought students to this museum when I was teaching Oklahoma History! The museum isn't huge, but it's all really well done all around. I had the Hominy Stew and Fry Bread at the Thirty Nine Restaurant for lunch and they were delicious. If you haven't been yet, I recommend getting there. This would be on my top few places I would take anyone who is visiting OKC.

the city didn't build the road on the FAM property they are not city roads

[jn1780]

Hopefully the walkability will be better with new resort paths/roads.