Tulsa Historical Society & Museum, has enjoyed a bit of a glow-up in the form of a new name, logo, and visual identity.

As we considered our future as Tulsa’s storyteller, we looked to Tulsa itself as a guide and got inspired.

To be a mid-sized, relatively young city, Tulsa has a fascinating history. Early on, we signed the city charter, discovered oil near Glenpool, suffered one of the nation’s worst race massacres, and erected several world-renowned art deco masterpieces – all in a community that’s the crossroads of Cherokee, Osage, and Muscogee (Creek) territories.

And that was just the first 25 years. 

In the following decades, we were christened “America’s Most Beautiful City,” housed several Fortune 500 companies, became ground zero for Western Swing at historic Cain’s Ballroom, and hosted world-class golf championships at Southern Hills. 

And that was just the next 50 years. You get the drift:

This place is full of history. It’s still happening as we speak.

That’s where our self-reflection comes in. With this rich backdrop and vibrant culture in mind, in late 2024 our organization’s leaders decided to consider a new brand. The name Tulsa Historical Society & Museum has served us well. Our collection of more than 400,000 photographs, books, maps, personal artifacts, and other ephemera indeed tells the story of our unique city. But somehow, the word society seemed insufficient. It suggested exclusivity – a group closed off from some people. That’s the opposite of our mission. 

Our museum belongs to everyone. It’s for kids and families as much as it is for historians and academics. It’s for every person of every background, in every corner of our community. It’s for visitors and locals. It’s for all of us.

Our new name isn’t a big change. In just moving and switching out a word here and there, we hope that our name better reflects our intent. We have stories to tell and a history that needs to be understood – even the ugly parts.

Along with the name, we have a new logo. Likewise, it’s a better reflection of who we are as a community. There’s an element of art deco in the design, and a color palette that beautifully tells our story – the turquoise of our Native community, the red dirt of Oklahoma, the dark hue of our oil, and the “stay gold” of our sunsets. We think it’s a wonderful depiction of our story.

Tulsa is in the middle of a veritable renaissance when it comes to museums and attractions. Greenwood Rising, the Bob Dylan Center, the Woody Guthrie Center, the Outsiders House, Church Studio, and the Gathering Place weren’t even here (at least in their current state) until a few years ago. Gilcrease is being rebuilt, bigger and better. Philbrook and other institutions are as strong as ever.

It’s imperative that Tulsa’s history museum stay relevant. Yes, it’s a nod to our past. But like anyone’s personal history, it’s the cumulative result of who we are today. History is in our name but our eyes are on the future.

Although the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum name is retired, all of the important research and archival functions scholars and history enthusiasts rely on are unchanged, as is the Tulsa Hall of Fame, in its 39^th year. Our founding organization, Tulsa Historical Society, retains its legal name.

Established in 1963, the Museum of Tulsa History holds an extensive collection of resources on our city’s rich past. The museum’s five rotating galleries are housed in the historic 1919 Travis Mansion at 2445 South Peoria and are open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 10am – 4 pm.