American Banjo Museum

As you might imagine, with such a fantastic collection of banjos, this is a must for banjo enthusiasts, but I think it's more than that. It's a must for anyone visiting OKC as viewing history through this art form is fun and enlightening. The museum also has banjos you can play (plus lessons), a cool gift shop, and a classically adorned hall of sorts where they have performances.

Amazing place! My kids 8&11 loved it! So much to see and learn! The displays were well done.

Lots of bueatiful banjos. Emphasis on 4 string banjoes. A few early African American banjoes. Not much on AppLachian, oldtime banjo. Mentiones different styles of playing, but no explanation of them. They have a room set up like a Shakies Pizza restaurant. They have instruments you can play. Well worth a visit.

The only Banjo Museun in the world. The first Wednesday of the month, they host a brown bag lunch. If you pick up lunch and bring it to the Museum they let you in for free. There is also free show. After the hour long kid friendly show you welcome to explore the museum (also for free). My wife and I really had a good time. Normally admission is $8 per person. They do offer senior and military discounts.

It's said, "To learn the history of the banjo is to recover the actual history of America." That could not be more apparent to me than ever. The museum is informative and expertly showcases the evolution of the banjo across various racial and musical cultures. Their collection of instruments is truly otherworldly! The curator took to heart that a banjo will get you through times of no money because the ticket is a steal of a deal, and it's a hidden gem combined into one! Please take a bow!

This was a place we weren't looking for but so glad we stumbled on it! Rich in instrumental history and beautiful. If you are in the area, you will not regret checking it out, just take your time and absorb the 2 floors of this great place.

Very cool even for non-banjo aficionados! Came across this gem in passing and for $8 an adult (or $15 for 2 adults and 2 kids) it really is a cool part of history put on beautiful display!

Very pleasantly surprised! The museum has a giant collection of incredible banjos spanning almost 200 years. Definitely a cool place for any musician, history buff, educator, or anyone who just has an hour or two to occupy.

Was playing a show in OKC and had some time before our flight out so we went to visit the museum. Was blown away with how many banjos and just how well the whole thing was put together. You could feel the love that was put into this place. There were points where I had tears coming out of my face because...honestly i don't know why but it hit me in a way that was unexpected. I play in a ska punk band so it was a surprise to me how much I loved this. Couple hours after visiting I bought my first banjo. Highly recommended!

Son and I were visiting my mom in OKC and this amazing little museum was right near where we were staying in Bricktown. It is the history of the banjo and they have amazing pieces of art here. We love bluegrass music, especially fans of Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe. Staff were really welcoming and friendly. They also have a room where you can strum a banjo! I highly recommend this museum for musicians, artists, and music lovers, you won't be disappointed!

I like this Banjo Museum. The museum promotes American Banjo. I like to listen to banjo but don't know how to play it. The tune always quick and exciting. It is great to listen to lighting speed finger plucking. It is also great to one perform the banjo. The museum is interesting to see many types of banjo. The museum has collections from 1800. This five string instrument developed into current decorative banjo. You can see the current banjo The history indicate banjo start American banjo start in 1600 and brought by the slave trade. It getting popular in 1800 in America African. Then it becomes the classic instrument in 1900. As today, the biggest known banjo player is Steve Martin. There is section In Museum delicates to women banjo. It is well done and present from old time players to current artist. The museum also has a small model of the mustache presentation stage. Overall is great to visit especially for the bricktown.

I had no idea this little museum had so much beauty and magic to it! This museum is a must see. The history of Banjos is interesting but their collection is breathtaking! It was also cool to be able to play banjos at the end with an instructional video.

This was a great museum. I had no idea of the real history of banjos. I actually thought this was going to be boring but I was the one in the group who took the longest reading about the history of banjos, their fall from popularity, and their comeback. The only thing I didn't read were all the plaques on the banjos themselves. I only read the ones of the banjos I thought were pretty. This is an indoor museum and is budget friendly. Also, you can learn to play the banjo there. I tried but failed. I'll stick with piano and admire banjo players for their special talents. This was worth the stop and we spent about 2-2.5 hours there.

Such an interesting and educational museum, I really enjoyed it!! I was surprised when I looked at the clock and 2 hours had flown by!

I devoted my day to driving a long distance to visit this museum. When I got there, I paid for parking and began going through the museum. I was not even half way through when someone instructed me that they were closing early, even though it was hours before the listed closing hour. I was very disappointed. Had I known they were closing early, I would have made other plans. To have this museum advertise for my patronage and then reject it left me feeling foolish. I felt as if someone had tricked me into investing my time and trouble, only to dismiss it all as insignificant. I could only imagine how little the inconvenience he had caused me mattered to him. I will never return.

WOW. I am absolutely blown away by this museum. First off, this place is so non-descript. It's a basic brick building located on the outskirts of Bricktown, with only a sign to designate what it is. You walk into a pretty simple lobby, but then you notice a life-size porch and scene waiting for you. Once you purchase your tickets, you walk over to the porch, and follow the light through an 8-minute presentation that covers the history of banjos. Now before you groan and think, what a bore...it isn't at all. It's absolutely fascinating, and they intertwine music and imagery, as well as animatronics to tell you the past. Then, you walk through some short text on walls, and walk right into a room that is literally packed with banjos. There are more banjos than I knew existed in the world just in this one room. Everything is well laid out, and beautifully curated. It is so clear that the collection is well-cared for, and the people who designed it truly love what they do. At the end, you can even try out playing different types and sizes of banjos, with videos for instruction! We were there on a quiet Saturday, and were able to play around for as long as liked. I wouldn't say the museum is very young-child friendly, unless you have a child particularly interested in the instrument. For anyone else though, this would be the perfect museum to visit.

Staff is so friendly! Great banjo history! Loved seeing all the unique banjo's. Admission price affordable.

My first concert ever was Roy Clark at Starlight Theater in Kansas City back in the early 70's during the peak of Hee Haw. Probably more than anyone - Mr. Clark popularized the banjo in American culture, so it was properly fitting that a life size cut-out of him welcomed me into the banjo museum. The exhibit on his career was educational and watching the film loop brought back memories. The museum is filled with scores of banjos that were beautiful to look at, who knew that they could be such works of art? While browsing thru the 2nd floor, they actually had a guy playing the banjo in a small saloon type setting. I didn't go in and partake of the sing alongs and hand clapping but it was cool to hear live music while strolling thru the collection. They also give discounts for those 55 and older, I just happened to be there on my 55th birthday and they comped my ticket as a birthday gift. Thank you staff and thank you for promoting and curating a unique part of American cultural history.

Not into banjo's? No problem! This place takes you on a stroll through musical history that all ages can enjoy. Even have an area you can pick up a banjo and learn to play a little. Found out after plucking round ya got a knack for this stringed thing? They got you covered. You can buy a REAL banjo in the gift shop! Floored yet? I certainly was. If you are in Oklahoma City you absolutely have to visit this place.

We spent a pleasant hour or so here (the museum is really small) yesterday afternoon right when they opened at 12. Obviously if you're into banjos, this place is your jam. We're not, but found its history and evolution interesting to learn about. We loved the second floor with all of the encased banjos on display and the recreated Your Father's Mustache bar. We also enjoyed the informational exhibits downstairs, and what's better than stumbling upon a Kermit the Frog puppet strumming a banjo? The reason why we're docking two stars, though, is because of how the museum addressed minstrelsy, which was off-putting to say the least. There was zero mention of it being, you know, totally racist and also zero mention of the fact that it seems like the banjo was a cultural appropriation. Believe us when we say that we're not annoyingly over-woke blowhards, but that kind of whitewashing of history struck us as myopic at best and a completely missed opportunity. You can do better, American Banjo Museum.

It was a fun stop while I was in town. Enjoyed the many banjos and the history of the instrument. It is worth the stop.

First, I should tell you that I don't know anything about Banjos. Not having played or having any knowledge about the instrument, this museum was informative. When you begin your exploration of this museum you are given a brief history lesson about the origins and evolution of the banjo. It was quite interesting. I do enjoy listening to banjo music. This museum has a ton of exquisite banjos from all eras of banjo playing, starting out with examples from the 1800's. If you are someone that is really interested in this instrument I am sure you will enjoy this museum. It is a small museum and it does cost what seems like a lot for what it is. For two adults it would have been $16 but we got the family deal, a dollar off! Just seems a bit steep, but I guess they need the income to keep up the museum.

What did I know about banjos before buying a ticket? Nothing. What do I know now? Plenty! Admission included banjo lessons, history, and gallery after gallery of beautiful banjos. Also, I got to wipe away a tear while listening to Kermit the Frog play "Rainbow Connection". All in all, pretty good way to spend a couple of hours.

We went in half as a joke but had a great time and respect the banjo. Staff were very nice and I got a discount when they heard that I played the banjo (for a few years many years ago!). My wife got to see Kirmi's banjo. Amazing how banjo's have evolved. Worth going out of your way to see.

This was incredibly interesting and a lot of fun. If you play or are fascinated by banjos - this is a must see.

In a single word: stunning. If you're not familiar with the history of the banjo, an instrument brought to this country by slaves, brace for impact because you're going to get a schoolin'. Simply one of the most enjoyable specialty museums I've ever visited. Sure, I'm a musician, so naturally I'd like this, but it's so far beyond expectations that I think it should be a reason to visit Oklahoma City, which is surprisingly modern, surprisingly hip and full of lots of fun going on. For those of you that *do* know a few things about banjo, yes, the museum started out long ago as a tribute to the 4-string jazz and dixieland eras. But its been joined and is growing in leaps and bounds in the bluegrass and old-time (all 5-string) banjos known otherwise as resonator or open-back (refers to the style of the back side of the instrument). Great historical information including audio exhibits, more cultural references than you might have thought about and just about every kind of banjo you could possibly imagine and more. I want to go back again, soon! Oh, and after a tiring afternoon on your feet soaking up all that historical information, great microbrewery a couple of doors down. What a glorious way to spend a day.

Cool museum close to other sites in downtown okc. Museum has great displays. Would like more information or interactive kiosks to learn more about banjo. They tell you at the beginning of museum but more info would be nice.

Everyone in OKC should visit this museum at least once. It is cheap, centrally located, and hands on. You can touch all the exhibits and even PLAY BANJOS when you're done. We thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits and seeing all the history behind banjos. I would have liked to see a performance, especially since we're visiting on a busy Saturday. Surely, they could get someone to come strum a few chords for the crowd?

NEVER IN A MILLION BILLION TRILLION YEARS WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT A MUSEUM OF BANJOS WOULD HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE! If you had asked my younger self, "Hey what effect do you think banjos would have on your life in your adulthood?" My answer would have been "Unless the Power Rangers plan on making a taco producing banjo shaped like Jenna Jameson not much if any.." You see, while I have never had the odd sort of hate you see for banjo by many non blue grass or country music aficionados, I can honestly say I have never had much reverence for the instrument outside of say watching Kermit the Frog, Emmit Otter, or the fine bear musicians of The Rock-afire-Explosion at my local Showbiz Pizza growing up. That's right I said SHOWBIZ damnit! Before corporate Chuck and his rat minions took over... ANYWAY.. what I do remember though is as a kid a particular episode rerun of the Odd Couple in which Roy Clark comes over and slays on the guitar and banjo. I don't know why this particular show and this episode, both WAY before my time and honestly outside of my interest zone would leave such an impact on me. But it did. Flash forward years later and although rather late in life, I have begun picking up the guitar. And with the magic of youtube rediscovered that episode of Roy Clark and now a fan of his work.. and by proxy a newly developed interest in guitars and even banjos.. So on a recent business trip randomly I found out there was a banjo museum not far from where I was staying in OKC. DESTINY! IT MUST BE DESTINY! I almost didn't go and that would have been the biggest blunder of my life. I just didn't have the time, but sometimes you gotta make the time! And brothers and sisters you will be if you make the time to visit here! Whether you are a banjo fan or not this place will convert you! First off past all my gushing and personal interest, the museum itself is well curated, visitor friendly, and is deceptively robust in their offerings. It might just seem like two floors but trust when I say this is a type of place that needs MULTIPLE visits. Unless you are a slightly less disgusting version of Jeff Goldblum from the Fly and possess multiple eyes you just can't see or experience it all in one trip no matter how long. It is amazing and sensory overload for sure. The best museums really.. as cliche as this sounds.. makes history come alive. And even as an adult I won't lie to you and say that the fat taco eating Power Ranger loving kid doesn't occasionally get bored when trying to edu-ma-cate myself into some higher brow stuff. And with the banjo museum and banjo's perception by the general public, I get how that might seem contradictory. Banjo let's face it doesn't have the most ...well looked upon opinion in douchey high brow circles. BUT that is the amazing thing about this museum. It not only chronicles and tells the rich American history banjo has been a part of but done so in a very visitor friendly and digestible way. Furthermore you can tell the passion and meticulously crafted work that has gone into the collection and exhibits. I could go on and on but you have to see it for yourself. It's definitely worth a visit and let me just tell you. As an Asian kid growing up I never EVER thought my life would need more banjo in it. After going here ALLLLL I WANT TO DO IS DRESS UP LIKE EDDIE PEABODY AND PLAY THE HELL OUT OF A BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED BANJO FROM THE 1920s! GO HERE!

The American Banjo Museum is simply awesome. It features top-tier exhibits and top notch staff members. What a combination. On a very quiet afternoon last week, my 2 family members and I were even treated to not one, but two, delightfully impromptu and private banjo concerts by both Lucas Ross upstairs in the office and Bill Bond downstairs by the entrance. I can't guarantee you'll be that lucky, but you're definitely in for a treat.

Friendly staff, nicely organized, clean and spacious; a good blend of documentaries(historical background on where banjos originated from and how they played a role in American history), random pictures and real banjos from different years. Wide display of banjos on site! (If you like geeking out over musical instruments than you'd enjoy this banjo collection. The two story building is pretty small and we got through it in 30 minutes!

I did not expect to enjoy this place nearly as much as I did. Having absolutely no previous experience or interest in the banjo- I wasn't sure what to expect with this place. If nothing else, I hoped it'd be a bit enlightening. And so it was. With a military discount my fiancé and I spent $10 total for full access to the museum. We spent an hour and a half total wandering through. My fiancé is the more logical of the two of us- with his interests lying primarily in science, history, and foreign relations. I, on the other hand, am the annoying ying to his yang with a curiosity for art, culture, and anything that provokes emotion. Naturally, it was my idea that we take an hour out of our day to wander through this place. To my surprise and delight- even he could manage to muster up an interest in what this place had to offer. The museum 'tour' begins when you walk into the first display and are given a pre-recorded audio tour of the history of the banjo in America. The tour touches on the fact that the banjo was brought to America by African slaves and was later integrated into white society by a few key players. Eventually the banjo made its way to center stage hitting it's high point in the 1920's (which happens to be one of my favorite historical eras for art and music). The audio tour display is professional, easy to hear, and interesting to watch. It isn't politically correct and doesn't gloss over some of the more controversial pieces of the banjo history- including the fact that the banjo was played in black face for entertainment purposes for nearly 100 years. The audio tour isn't too long, lasting about 15 minutes total- but giving you a very detailed look at the banjo. You are then welcome to tour the rest of the museum- which is quite simply a collection of every imaginable kind of banjo you could hope to see. If you have a passion for the instrument I'm sure you'd appreciate this museum more than most. But for the average tourist, like myself, casually dosing through all of the different banjos was a good way to pass a few minutes. The bottom floor takes you on a virtual tour of the banjo- starting with one from the mid 1800s, and ending with unique banjos that were manufactured in the last 5 years. The top floor features even more banjos- but many of them do not have descriptions. They're simply labeled by make and model. The top floor seems to be primarily for people who truly know the instrument and have a passion for seeing all of the slight variations in its build. There's also an entire display dedicated to Steve Martin. When we entered the museum the woman at the front desk told us not to miss that particular display and proudly boasted "I bet you didn't even know Steve Martin played the banjo! Did you?" My love and I had to snicker at her enthusiasm, but her delight in the banjo (and the fact Steve Martin plays it), made us both even happier to be looking through the displays. There's also a small hall of fame worth visiting on the top floor as well. The museum is extremely well-maintained. Clean, well-lit, and appropriately decorated. A great affordable way to waste a bit of the day in OKC. Not sure this would be the biggest hit for children under 12- and unless they have some kind of personal interest in the banjo I'd recommend going elsewhere with young uns'. But with children and adults old enough, and open enough, to appreciate the amount of effort and detail that went into this small but worthwhile collection of everything banjo- I certainly recommend taking a quick minute to meander through.

This gem isn't hidden, it's right there in Bricktown. If you haven't visited yet, you're missing a rare treat. Banjo's of every era and every description abound. The displays are fabulous, and show off the beautiful and unusual artwork on these underappreciated instruments. If you become one of their supporters, you can be treated to catered evenings of extraordinary banjo playing--from jazz to bluegrass. Put the Banjo Museum on your fun list and take time to support the arts in OKC.

Somewhere, there is a museum for everything. There are two museums for kazoos - one for metal, one for plastic. Oklahoma City has a museum for skeletons, in addition to this. Seeing them back to back may have cost this one a star, because while I'm sure it has no equal amongst banjo musea, it just feels like a guitar museum with different shapes. I learned that in the 20s and 30s, banjos were so "in" that there were 4-figure and 5-figure models made, comparable to any top of the line guitar in the succeeding decades. There is a vast collection of gold plating, mother-of-pearl inlay, intricate woodwork, you name it. This year only, there is a Steve Martin exhibit with his banjos, which adds a star of its own in my book. If you love banjos, or bluegrass, or the Roaring Twenties, or anything else remotely related to banjos, then definitely go here. If you just love unique museums, it's pretty cool, but if you're strapped for time, I'd recommend Osteology Museum first. Note - limited street parking, meters. Assume 1 hour to get through it for the sake of meter feeding, though you will probably have seen enough banjos after about 40 minutes.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE believe me if you're in town don't miss out on this opportunity. Truly feels like you are back in time and experiencing the town for what it is. There's so much to see. You might want to allocate atleast 2/3 hours to really see everything. I feel like the pics shared don't do the place justice.

So glad we found this place; who knew something like this even existed. An amazing array of banjos, and a fascinating story of the banjo history. The amount of banjos on display was astounding, as well as the individual beauty of each instrument.

After purchasing a Living Social deal for 2 for 1 admission, I visited here with my dad. We aren'g hugely attached to banjos or anything but why not check it out? Upon walking in you immediately notice how nice the building is. It has two floors and a large, but not overwhelming amount of banjos and memorabilia. It takes you on a tour through the history of the American banjo and I enjoyed the banjos in Hollywood exhibit. I never realized how prevalent banjos were in the late 19th and early 20th centuries! It was cool so see all of the banjos as old as from the 1840s to modern banjos. Whether or not you personally connect with banjos or the history behind them, it is a nice museum and you will definitely learn something!

Wonderfully unique museum. Small - one can tour it in under an hour. Check the website for live performance schedules - usually Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m.

What a fun museum. Totally fun for any music fan! We learned so much and the gentleman at the front gave us so much info plus a song on the Banjo. Stop by and check it out if your in Oklahoma City!

Interesting & full of information about the history & culture of the American banjo. Hundreds of banjos neatly displayed through out the museum & they also have exhibits on how the banjo started out with American slavery dating back to the late 1600's, Great info on Roy Clark, Steve Martin & many more. Upstairs has more displays and a cute area where banjo players preform. I scored some awesome t-shirts in the gift area---very reasonably priced ! It is located in Bricktown with many restaurants & other entertainment. The low admission price was unbelievable for the quality of the museum.

The banjo museum had more to give than I was ready to give it credit. While it was light on explaining some of the technical aspects of the banjo, it did make you realize how crazy Americans are for some banjo. I would have liked to see some more biographical info on some of the people highlighted in the museum. Who knew that Liberace's boyfriend was a banjo player in his youth? I would have liked to hear more about his banjo career. The story of Your Father's Mustache was also a trip.

I was in Oklahoma City for a meeting, and stumbled across the banjo museum on the way back from dinner one night. I am an amateur bluegrass banjo player so decided to check it out the next day but my expectations were low. Boy was I mistaken!! The quality and breadth of the displays was remarkable for a single-focus museum. I learned a lot about the instrument that I thought I knew, and was dazzled by the gorgeous and historical instruments on display. Some of the highlights for me were seeing the original banjo played by Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio, the first banjo I remember hearing. Dozens of elaborately decorated 1920's and 30's 4-string performance banjos the likes of which I had never seen. Also the late model Deering "Zombie Killer" 5- string, and a player-banjo (yes some might consider this a nightmare scenario but someone figured out how to make a banjo play automatically without human touch). Finally the folks inside were friendly, and there was a space for anyone to try their hand with several different style banjos. Along with the National Memorial, I would add this as a 45-min must-see in Oklahoma City.

What can I say-you should like banjo's if you want to visit this museum. The very first part of the tour was nice because it gave you the history behind the banjo and that was very interesting. The middle part of the tour was nothing but walking around looking at hundreds of glass encased banjos. Snore. But so happened from 3-5 that day, they had a live banjo demonstration which was very nice to stop in and listen to the gentlemen plat for awhile. Would recommend you find out if they do that everyday and suggest planning your visit to encompass the live play.

So my girlfriend and I were wandering around Oklahoma City while waiting for the friend we were visiting to get out of work and decided to get out of the sun by ducking into the American Banjo Museum in Bricktown. Being country music fans, we were surprised by the amount of enjoyment we got out of the museum. Definitely worth the ten dollars total. The lady at the desk was extremely nice and interested in what we were doing in Oklahoma and where we were from. We received a student discount even though we forgot our IDs