Instead of expanding Gilcrease Museum, the city has decided to tear the current building down and replace it with a new 90,000 square foot structure with a budget of at least $85 million.

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/city-scraps-plans-to-renovate-gilcrease-museum-will-build-new/article_ef9442bb-e989-5956-8d92-89fdee3d2c28.html

So why are they building a new museum that's so much smaller? Is it just lost square footage in all the weird halls/stairs/level changes the current place has?

It's defininetly a weird place. Some of the galleries feel very musty, which based on the article now i know why. And built in to that hill, you're constantly going up/down. I never did quite understand the amount of native american stuff down in the kids area too. Seems like they mixed things because that's the space they had to put it???

Gilcrease will close after July 4th.

Here are the plans for the new museum:
https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/plans-revealed-for-new-gilcrease-museum-with-concept-of-reconnecting-to-nature/article_000140ea-d430-11eb-8501-cb86704388fb.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

The idea is for Gilcrease to increase attendance to something like Crystal Bridges in Arkansas, which aside from the facility is dumb as something like the top six most valuable items in the Gilcrease collection are more valuable than the entire Crystal Bridges collection.

https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/sites/kwgs/files/styles/medium/public/202106/gilcrease_museum_entry.jpg

https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/sites/kwgs/files/styles/x_large/public/202106/gilcrease_museum_aerial.jpg

https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/sites/kwgs/files/styles/x_large/public/202106/gilcrease_museum_sun_court.jpg

https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/sites/kwgs/files/styles/x_large/public/202106/gilcrease_museum_great_american_landscape.jpg

Will be a beautiful facility ! And tons of neat displays too.

Swake, i understand the thought there on the comparison, but one thing they have in Bentonville, is people coming in pretty good numbers from a smaller "metro" in that NWA area. There's a LOT of money up in that area though too. Just because Gilcrease owns something expensive, doesn't mean everyone wants to come see it. There is a really good kids museum (the Amazeum) there too. So don't discount the draw the area up there has. Its got more draw for it's population that comparable populations would in other areas. That WalMart wealth has brought in sSOOOOOOO much money.

Like my comment said above, the Gilcrease has historically been very UNfriendly for older/disabled folks too with all those different levels. Maybe the new one will be more accessible and more people will be able to come see it, upping those numbers.

Swake, i understand the thought there on the comparison, but one thing they have in Bentonville, is people coming in pretty good numbers from a smaller "metro" in that NWA area. There's a LOT of money up in that area though too. Just because Gilcrease owns something expensive, doesn't mean everyone wants to come see it. There is a really good kids museum (the Amazeum) there too. So don't discount the draw the area up there has. Its got more draw for it's population that comparable populations would in other areas. That WalMart wealth has brought in sSOOOOOOO much money.

Like my comment said above, the Gilcrease has historically been very UNfriendly for older/disabled folks too with all those different levels. Maybe the new one will be more accessible and more people will be able to come see it, upping those numbers.

Tulsa's new Discovery Lab for kids opens this fall at the Gathering Place.
https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b254a9a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1513x851+218+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8f%2F66%2Ffb6ed3ea4f 7c9a0ad7795bd03d13%2Fgroundbreaking-20ceremony-20invite-3-2.jpg

Tulsa is a much nicer city than NWA metro minus the natural beauty that region has.

Tulsa is a much nicer city than NWA metro minus the natural beauty that region has.

The natural beauty of NW is pretty great though and there are vibrant areas like downtown Bentonville and Fayetteville. The set up in Bentonville with Crystal Bridges, the downtown square and the hiking/biking trails is unique. I know a lot of people who go there from Tulsa for a day trip and vice versa, they are only 2 hours apart

The natural beauty of NW is pretty great though and there are vibrant areas like downtown Bentonville and Fayetteville. The set up in Bentonville with Crystal Bridges, the downtown square and the hiking/biking trails is unique. I know a lot of people who go there from Tulsa for a day trip and vice versa, they are only 2 hours apart

Yup. And Plutonic, it all depends on your definition. NWA is more like a string of burbs than a collection around a downtown. So some like that better, some hate it. I'm just saying it has more to offer than most people give it credit for.

And saying that, places like the Gilcrease could use some of the attractions in the that area as a source for some ideas rather than just discounting them because they're in a smaller metro. It would like someone in OKC discounting everything Tulsa does/has just because it's smaller. And as much as I don't have any particular love for Tulsa, I know that's not the case.

I never said NWA isn’t a good place it’s awesome. But for a real city experience, it doesn’t hold a candle to tulsa.

I don't think people are day tripping to Bentonville and NWA for a "Real Big city" experience.
Crystal bridges has done well with bringing in people to Bentonville. the trail system as well is a huge draw.
My ex was a huge mountain biker and on our trips there have ran into bikers from all over the united states and even the world who came to Bentonville just for the trails.
a Guy from Australia we ran around with after meeting on trails there brought his two sons there for the mountain biking and was only hitting 3 other US destinations. that was kind of impressive.

Crystal Bridges is also free for most exhibits which is nice and makes art more accessible.

My ex was a huge mountain biker and on our trips there have ran into bikers from all over the united states and even the world who came to Bentonville just for the trails.
a Guy from Australia we ran around with after meeting on trails there brought his two sons there for the mountain biking and was only hitting 3 other US destinations. that was kind of impressive.

The mountain biking in NWA is a big deal. It was already a good place but with Walton funds it has become a biking mecca and big tourist draw for that reason.

Demolition has begun:

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/watch-now-city-begins-demolishing-gilcrease-museum/article_ca0ddf68-7b0d-11ec-889a-3b00b5692043.html#tracking-source=home-top-story