6 Things To Do in Oklahoma City For a Great Time

Oklahoma City has a lot to offer. It’s not some backward town in the midwest, it’s actually quite progressive and beautiful. The city government seems to be more on the side of “green” living as well as promoting feelings of serenity. There are many activities to take part in and things to see in Oklahoma City, but here are 6 of the “must do’s” for any visitor.

1) Oklahoma Theater Center (aka Mummers Theater)

Built between 1965-1970, this amazing architectural beauty has been a unique place for Oklahomans and world travelers alike to experience brilliant works of art and performance. Designed by famed architect John M. Johansen, it is an aggregation of fragmented units connected by walkways and tubes. Johansen received an AIA award in 1972 for his design. Mummers Theater is a very important location in downtown Oklahoma City. Since 2014 it has been in danger of being destroyed, but advocacy groups are attempting to fight for it to stay around because it is such an important part of Oklahoma City’s heritage.

Watch the video below for more history behind Mummers Theatre presented by the architect himself, John M. Johansen.

2) Bricktown

Once a famous warehouse district, Bricktown has now become an entertainment district just east of downtown Oklahoma City. he major attractions of the district are the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the navigable Bricktown Canal, and the 16-screen Harkins movie theatre. The corporate headquarters of Sonic Drive-In is also located here. That’s not all though, there are many great restaurants, fun bars, and unique boutique shops throughout Bricktown.

3) Chesapeake Energy Arena

The premier arena that now is home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who actually used to be the Seattle Supersonics before they moved in 2008 to Oklahoma City and changed their name. The arena serves more than just the only sports arena that houses Oklahoma’s only professional athletic team, it also is a prime location for major touring music acts.

4) The Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial

Standing today as one of the most beautiful memorials in the United States, the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial reminds us that courage in the face of terror and compassion for others is far more powerful than causing terror. The bombing caused an estimated $652 million in damages.

The memorial includes a reflecting pool flanked by two large gates. One is inscribed with the time 9:01 and the other with 9:03. The pool represents the moment of the blast. On the south end of the memorial is a field of symbolic bronze and stone chairs. Each chair represents each person lost, arranged according to what floor of the building they were on. The chairs represent the empty chairs at the dinner tables of the victims’ families. The seats of the children killed are smaller than those of the adults lost. On the opposite side is the “survivor tree”, part of the building’s original landscaping that survived the blast and fires that followed it.

5) The Womb Gallery

Wayne Coyne of the alternative rock band The Flaming Lips founded his own unique art complex known as The Womb. Customers can experience various exhibitions as well as live music acts and even hip parties. Wayne Coyne often puts on the events himself.

The Womb is a unique artistic hub for Oklahoma City’s alternative artists who wish to share their message with the world. It also features art exhibits from touring artists. There is always something interesting happening at The Womb for those who seek something different than the more traditional city art galleries.

6) The Arboretum and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory

The Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory’s unique design has earned attention as well as praise in the architectural community. It is 224 feet long, 70 feet in diameter, and is covered by 3,028 sections of translucent, double-layered acrylic panels.

The Conservatory also includes 13,000 square feet of the plant display area in two distinct climates. First is the Tropical Wet Zone, which is at the south end and is watered daily. Then you’ll discover the Tropical Dry Zone at the north end which receives water from April through September. There is a forced drought from November through March. Some 750 varieties of plants and multiply waterfalls cascading from a total of 35 feet also round out the spectacular features of the Conservatory

In conclusion, Oklahoma City is definitely not some boring midwestern city but instead, it thinks progressively, from beautiful architecture to influential art galleries, to exciting athletics, and even beautiful memorials and parks.