Science Museum Oklahoma

[bchris02]

The Science Museum can be an awesome downtown attraction. Most other cities I've lived in and visited do have their science museums downtown. That said, there is likely little chance of our science museum getting moved if they are spending this kind of money on renovating the existing location. OKC should work on attracting a museum of some sort downtown, other than the banjo museum.

[DoctorTaco]

I don't think the Zoo should be moved. The Zoo is in a great location. I just think it would be nice to have a brand new science museum in the C2S area. We could build ours to be bigger and better than the one in Dallas. Not only would it spur massive high quality development along with the central park, it would bring more people into downtown and help it become even more of an attraction and if we turned the Kirkpatrick Center into a full world class Aviation museum, it could be one of the largest and have it's own movie theatre dedicated to aviation movies and documentaries. This would be a true destination for hardcore aviation lovers and we would have new world class, amazing science museum located right off of our new I-40 Crosstown. It is a win-win for everyone.

Well there was that proposal to turn Stage Center into a children's museum. The Arts Council was open to it, but no money ever materialized to make it happen. If that plan couldn't come to fruition I don't think the prospects for your proposal are too shiny either.

[shawnw]

I don't mind keeping the "adventure" in the adventure district, especially if it's eventually connected to the core via rail. While I would prefer a Children's museum downtown due to the upcoming elementary, and the children's garden, etc, I would also be okay with it going in the adventure district, with the rail connectivity as a contingency (heck make it part of the budget to get it done sooner), though one would then have to ask what the difference was between SMO and a future Children's museum if they were both in the adventure district. I do agree that the function of a science museum fits perfectly well downtown (I grew up in Philly where we had the Franklin Institute [now apparently referred to as "The Franklin"]), but I'm okay with it being where it is. It would be hard to replicate its scale downtown without probably using some blocks that would be better for something else. Also, while I wish we would more openly celebrate Wheeler as the original zoo location (with some statues/public art/plaques, etc), I think the zoo is at home where it is. Is there a zoo somewhere that is "downtown"? I've been to at least 15 zoos nationally and can't think of one that is.

[Watson410]

Downtown needs a world class Aquarium IMO. I'm not sure if the one in Downtown Dallas is considered "World Class", But something like that in Downtown OKC would be a VERY NICE ADDITION and also VERY successful.

[Snowman]

Well there was that proposal to turn Stage Center into a children's museum. The Arts Council was open to it, but no money ever materialized to make it happen. If that plan couldn't come to fruition I don't think the prospects for your proposal are too shiny either.

The first problem with that proposal was it was a group trying to save the building by grasping any straw they could. A much more functional, attractive, flexibly laid out, not prone to flooding building could be built brand new for a fraction of the cost.

[bchris02]

Downtown needs a world class Aquarium IMO. I'm not sure if the one in Downtown Dallas is considered "World Class", But something like that in Downtown OKC would be a VERY NICE ADDITION and also VERY successful.

I agree. Downtown OKC needs a major museum of some sort. Little chance of it being the Science Museum being that they are putting so much money into it in its current location. It would be cool to have something there though. An aquarium would be perfect. The Core 2 Shore area seems like it would be ripe for such a thing.

[ljbab728]

I agree. Downtown OKC needs a major museum of some sort. Little chance of it being the Science Museum being that they are putting so much money into it in its current location. It would be cool to have something there though. An aquarium would be perfect. The Core 2 Shore area seems like it would be ripe for such a thing.

OCMOA. Check it out. It's amazing.

[Just the facts]

The remodeled Journal Record, old downtown post office, or the old Federal Reserve building would make a great home.

[bchris02]

Does anybody know if any upgrades have begun at the Science Museum? It was discussed a while back that a $30 million makeover was going to happen but I haven't heard much about that since.

[ljbab728]

Does anybody know if any upgrades have begun at the Science Museum? It was discussed a while back that a $30 million makeover was going to happen but I haven't heard much about that since.

Coming soon. | Science Museum Oklahoma

[Plutonic Panda]

Does anybody know if any upgrades have begun at the Science Museum? It was discussed a while back that a $30 million makeover was going to happen but I haven't heard much about that since.

107.7 The Franchise

[Pete]

They've finished the new entrance and the exterior.

[bradh]

This place really is great. Growing up in Houston we didn't have a museum like this that was so interactive for kids. We love taking out daughter here.

[turnpup]

Now if only the adjacent zoo parking lot will get spruced up. That's a really rough-looking space. Almost looks abandoned, and it's their *only* parking (other than the overflow across the street at Remington).

[Pete]

Now if only the adjacent zoo parking lot will get spruced up. That's a really rough-looking space. Almost looks abandoned, and it's their *only* parking (other than the overflow across the street at Remington).

They've developed plans to redo that lot.

I have the plans somewhere I'll try to find and post.

[Pete]

Here you go.

Looks like a total re-do:

[turnpup]

Good to hear! It's really kind of shocking to see how that lot looks, considering how well they've treated the inside. Thanks for posting the plans.

[Pete]

They must have been saving their pennies for the total re-do.

Not sure of the timing but I pulled those several months ago.

[Zuplar]

Very nice. Overall the Zoo is pretty well taken care of. This is something that's needed to take it to the next level.

[d-usa]

The Zoo is really pretty amazing. When I take out of towers I like to give them the "time travel" tour. Enter and take them left through the bird area, then the aquarium, then the rhino and island life area as part of the "old sad zoo", then hit the children's zoo, the Oklahoma trails, the great escape and the big cats, and then the elephants while reminding them of the old rhino building as their old home.

They have done a lot of great work over the past decades.

[Pete]

As a reminder, the zoo gets 1/8 of a penny in sales tax for every dollar spent in OKC.

We, the citizens and frequent visitors, are funding all those improvements to the tune of about $12 million per year.

Otherwise, the zoo operates at about a $5 million annual deficit.


I think most people tend to forget this.

[Thomas Vu]

Didn't they recently build that elephant bit of the zoo? At least it was new to me.

[cinnamonjock]

I work for the zoo (but I'll be moving on soon) and they plan on starting construction this fall. They've been talking about this for at least a year and were waiting for the busy season to be over before they started. Should begin any time now

[bradh]

That project bids in a couple weeks, already advertised for bids

[John1744]

I'm assuming they have completely abandoned use of the Omnidome at the Science Museum? We've been a couple times in the last year or two and the area is always blocked off and now I can't even find a mention of the movies on the website. What a shame as it was a nice true IMAX like experience even if it only showed science documentaries.