What are new uses for the Union Station building as part of our new Central Park?

[Doug Loudenback]

FWIW, I was being serious. I know, not my most common approach.
It's just the comments that it is already a museum resonated.

We have a banjo museum elsewhere. We've had, until recently, perhaps still in play, a photo museum, though we're losing it as I understand. We have the fire museum up north.

This structure was after all once a grand station and it is situated for the new park.

To set aside an area as a tribute to rail seems not only appropriate, it seems down right natural.

So yeah, I'd like to see it.

Very good! Already a museum ... already a museum ... already a museum! Call your friends!

[Urban Pioneer]

Personally I think the "grand hall" waiting room area would be an awesome place for community meetings, speakers, piano recitals, acoustic music performance, major events, and art exhibits.
I think what you will finds is that since it will practically be the only "open" building near the park, it needs to be multi-use to get the maximum benefit. There is however, plenty of room for train exhibits.

[Pete]

Here's how I'd like to see it used:

[Doug Loudenback]

I like that, Pete, but there really should be enough space for more than only a railroad history museum ... I'm thinking an Oklahoma City history museum, since we do not presently have one of them. And, in this "planning," don't forget that the 2nd floor area, and the tunnel, area also candidates for use. Aside from the 2nd floor shots that I took, there are many rooms on the 2nd floor that are presently used for offices.

[krisb]

A railroad themed upscale restaurant would be nice.

[Pete]

The lobby and tunnel (or at least the ramp leading down to it) could easily be used as museum space as well.

[lasomeday]

There was really cool railroad cafe in Seattle called the Iron Horse Cafe. You would call in your orders and they would serve you on a little toy train that wrapped around the cafe. I was 8 and I loved it! They had trains going all around the cafe.

I think a museum that had all kinds of model trains would be awesome for kids. There could even be a train that you could ride outside. Kind of like the one in Enid. The tunnel would also be a great area for the trains, just imagine a stream winding down it with miniature trains and landscaping.

[metro]

How about a shrine to Earnest Istook.

[kevinpate]

I dunno metro, I kinda think a more appropriate shrine would be to have lil' Istook paintings every 150' or so underneath the rails of the new transit train