Oklahoma City Tourist Attractions

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden has 2,200 animals in their natural habitats.Highlights include Aquaticus which displays more than 1,500 marine creatures from around the world including sea lions, green sea turtles and coral. The Butterfly Garden is a 20,000 square foot exhibit that showcases the entire life cycle of the butterfly with more than 15,000 plants. The Herpetarium has more than 80 exhibits including Poison Dart Frogs, salamanders, rattlesnakes and the Giant Green Anaconda.

3 mi. north-east of the Capitol, is the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, with a large collection of material on the history of the Wild West: pictures and sculptures, the Rodeo Hall of Fame and the John Wayne Collection recall the days of the pioneers and cowboys. Children can try out their skills as cowboys in the Children's Corral.The museum has a research center.

The Kirkpatrick Center houses several museums, including the Oklahoma Air & Space Museum, the Center of the American Indian, the International Photography Hall of Fame & Museum, and the Omniplex Science Museum, a "hands-on" science museum with a two-storey high dinosaur.

In the Myriad Gardens to the south of the Capitol tropical and desert plant worlds have been created in the multi-storey glass tubes of the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory.

This outdoor memorial is a tribute to the victims, survivors, rescuers and all other people affected by the events of April 19, 1995 when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed.

2 mi. west of the Myriad Gardens are the Oklahoma National Stockyards, the largest stock markets in the world. The noisy auctions held on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8 a.m. can be attended by non-dealers.

The 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City is located in the Lincoln Park Armory which was built in 1937.Exhibits at the museum include uniforms, firearms, and more than 60 military vehicles that trace the military history of Oklahoma from 1541 to present day. In 1980, the museum acquired the Reaves Collection which includes a major collection of military hardware from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War.

The World of Wings Pigeon Center in Oklahoma City was created in 1973 and promotes awareness of all breeds and varieties of pigeons including homing pigeons.The grounds of the center include a Scottish Pigeon Tower, a rustic gazebo, the Wright Learning Center, the Goldband breeding loft and the Memorial loft that houses white pigeons.The center includes a library with pigeon literature, memorabilia, and periodicals from as far back as the 1800's.

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the seat of government for the state. The building was designed and built between 1914 and 1917. It features a central dome that was completed in 2002. It is classic Greco-Roman with an Indiana limestone exterior and a Oklahoma pink and black granite base. The building is surrounded by working oil wells.

Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City was the former estate of William Fremont Harn, a land agent who investigated land disputes that arose from the land run of 1889. The Victorian style farmhouse was built in 1904 and is now preserved as a museum dedicated to Oklahoma's settlement and heritage.

The Oklahoma Firefighters' Museum in Oklahoma City was formed in 1968. It contains a collection of fire apparatus, tools and machinery that have been used since 1736 including the first fire station in the Oklahoma Territory which was built in 1864.

The Oklahoma Heritage Center in Oklahoma City is the former home of Robert A. Hefner, Sr. and his family. The grounds feature a garden with flowers, fountains, and statuaries. The building features a library and a small chapel. The mansion is filled with furniture and art collected by the Hefners.

Henry Overholser was the founder of Oklahoma City and his home was the first mansion built in the city. The three-story French chateau-style home features English carpets, French stained glass, and Antwerp fine oak paneling. Most of the furnishings are original to the house.

The Civic Center Music Hall opened as the Municipal Auditorium in 1937. The name was changed in 1967 when it became a performing arts venue. The Hall features three performing arts theatres and two reception areas.

The Ford Center in Oklahoma City is a state-of -the-art sports and entertainment venue. Events include concerts, wrestling, arena football, hockey and basketball. Family shows and monster truck events are also offered.

Frontier City in Oklahoma City is a re-created 1880s Oklahoma town and an amusement park. It features more than 50 rides and attractions including four roller coasters, water rides, as well as live shows and musical reviews.

The Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City celebrates the accomplishments of gymnasts from around the world. The museum features an original portrait of each inductee as well as a library and video collection.

The Martin Park Nature Center in Oklahoma City is a 140-acre park which houses a hands-on museum and serves as a wildlife sanctuary. There are walking trails around the center.

The National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City was established in 1957 and moved to the city in 1966. The museum features the history of softball and honors over 300 inductees of this amateur sport.

The Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City contains archives and research materials relating to the state's history. Exhibits include the life of Wiley Post, the history of local American Indian tribes, and settler life.

The Spiro Indians lived nearby, south of the I 40 a short distance before the Arkansas border, from the 7th to the 15th C. Eleven of their "mounds" can still be seen.

White Water Bay in Oklahoma City is a 20-acre water park with water rides, a giant wave pool, body flumes, inner tube courses and a children's playland. The park includes a 277ft/84m long speed slide with a 64ft/20m free fall.

The Omniplex in Oklahoma City is a cultural and education center that houses museums, galleries, gardens and a planetarium.