First Americans Museum

A breathtaking museum that’s worth a visit for the architecture alone - but it offers so much more. The museum provides history that is moving and engaging, with powerful videos and visuals and educational and inspiring art and artifacts. The mound offers stunning views of the Oklahoma River and downtown Oklahoma City. The staff is friendly and helpful. A must-visit for any Oklahoman or visitor to OKC.

Exceptional! First floor is history and cultural storytelling, second floor is art and artifacts. Facility is breathtaking, fully accessible by persons of all abilities (they even have adult changing tables in the family restroom), and parking is plentiful. If you have any mobility issues, you can call for the free golf cart ride to get from your car to the entrance. (The phone number is on the handicap signs.)

It was a lovely museum. The content is hard, but VERY necessary to learn about. I am always amazed at my own ignorance. Not necessarily by any fault of my own other than lack of curiosity, which I guess is really the worst fault of all. I absorbed what I was taught without nuance or much question. The museum didn't shame or throw recriminations, just explained, I guess. That didn't mean that I didnt feel shame. Some terrible things were done in the name of this country and justified by a sense of entitlement. Please be curious. There really aren't any easy answers. We may not have been there, but we hold responsibility.

What an awesome place to learn about the culture of the 39 tribes that reside in Oklahoma. It's not just a learning experience of the past but of the future of what they are doing today. The staff was so great and informative that you could truly tell the loved working there.

In all honesty I was rather disappointed with this museum. It's a beautiful building and everything is clean, nice and new, but the amount of actual native artifacts is rather disappointing. I'm glad I visited, but I don't think I will be returning.

Beautiful buildings and exhibits. They did not try to edit history so the presentation and general theme of near genocide and the Natives rise from the ashes was accurate. Would like to have seen more art. The snack bar is reasonable but the restaurant ... bring LOTS of money for mediocre food.

We had our Summit for Cultivate at FAM and it was the best the event has ever been! Their staff is extremely helpful and ready to solve any issues that pop up throughout a long event day. We will definitely be back!

However much time you allow for this museum, plan on being there even longer. There is so much to see at this place! We arrived shortly before 1, and had a tour booked for 1:00. The three guides were very informative (I can only remember Corey) and all offered a different perspective on our way through the exhibits. The tour ended around 2:30 and we bypassed so many exhibits/videos. They did encourage us to go back through and experience what we had missed. We were so exhausted by the end that we didn't hang around much longer. Definitely a neat experience and we were so glad we stopped in. If you want to book a tour I do recommend you do so in advance online.

We got the opportunity to visit the First America's Museum while visiting OKC. This museum honors the 39 recognized tribes native to Oklahoma. We learned so much about natives local to this area. The museum was beautifully set up and we loved how they have sections that natives paint the walls on every few years. This included the moon terrace, sun terrace ans star terrace. We also took the Mound tour and learned about mound people. It was great to learn about how the sun will come through the tunnel during summer solstice and that it has to be aligned just right. If you are in the area I highly recommend checking out this museum.

For anyone visiting or living in Oklahoma, this museum is a must. The history of genocide against Native Americans (or First Americans) is something we should all know a lot about. The exhibits were high quality and labeled well. We wanted to eat at 39, the restaurant in the museum that offers Native American food (and named 39 because there are 39 Native nations in Oklahoma), but unfortunately, it was closed.

I was so excited to visit this museum. I've never been to a first Americans museum. I have limited knowledge of the history just what was exposed on television which is not always the best description of culture. Alittle disappointed because they don't appear to have a lot of original artifacts at best most things seem to be a replica. Maybe I was in the wrong area but I didn't notice anything that appeared original. Again I could have missed an area or overlooked something. There is so much we don't know and I still don't know or understand!

I visited NMAI in D.C. a few years ago and I have to say that FAM is so much better...more to view and more to learn. I was totally impressed and will recommend this to anyone and everyone visiting OKC (and Oklahoma). It's worth the trip to OKC. The stories are truthful and heart wrenching but there are the stories of triumph and resiliency. I would definitely revisit! It's also in a great and upcoming area.

I give this place more than 5 stars. What an amazing representation of history that every American needs to see. The videos tell stories from first Americans and historians. The images are amazing. Everything is presented in a way that is easy to digest, while so compelling and powerful. This places centers the voices of first Americans, unlike other places that simply talk about them (and more about their belongings) from a third person, partial view. We happened to visit on a special day, where people of all ages were dressed beautifully and danced on the green in competitions. It was a privilege to experience. We need more museums like this across the nation. There are so many more stories to tell. First Americans lived at least 10,000 years on this land and took such amazing care of it and each other.

Loved this place! Take your time to read and learn. There were some eye opening stories. Wished the restaurant was open so we could try the traditional meals. They did have the cafe open- we loved the hot chocolate- don't miss it, it has a great flavor. The cafe chief made a great Duck n dumpling soup that was perfect for the cool day. Definitely would go again!

What a beautiful museum. This place is massive. Parker was the friendly young man who sold us our tickets and he was very informative on everything. The temperature of the museum was nice and cool everywhere we went. Not a warm spot in the building. The gift shop is beautiful but very expensive. I didn't see a clearance section.

We know the history of the genocide of the Native Americans. This museum's helps understand the extend of it and the role Oklahoma played in it. Must visit for every American.

A lot of Yelpers have shared a tremendous amount of helpful information regarding the history, contents of the museum, and future plans. What I can add, is to say that anyone living in Oklahoma and those visiting can be enriched by the experience of visiting this sacred museum. Come spend a few hours here and learn something new about our first American peoples and the place we all call home. One of my favorite parts of the museum is are the immersive video experiences which help to share the history, rich cultural practices, and generations of stories of the native peoples. I am hopeful that the exhibit spaces will be dynamic in the years to come. I will continue to come back to this museum to learn more about this lands' deep history prior to European settlement. I'll come here to deepen my understanding of the reverence of the sacred natural world which our First American brothers and sisters embody so fully. There is so much I want to learn about the stories of triumph and sadness and a people who have shown much resilience. The network of OKC museums is strengthened by this fantastic new museum. Their restaurant is worth coming to on its own. Brunch is a delight. May 2023

Loved the museum itself and the history it presented. However my experience is colored by the service I received when getting our tickets. We got there less than an hour before it closed. We were one behind this lady who kept asking questions about resources. She was NOT getting a ticket. The ticket man kept answering her questions instead of attending to us, we were losing time to see the museum. When we finally got our tickets he reminded us in an instructive voice that we had less than an hour to see the museum. No kidding! If he was time conscious, why not give our tickets first and then finish his convo with the lady. Oh and btw, there was another lady next to him behind the counter. I first went to her since the guy was talking to the lady. But she said to go to the man. She seemed absorbed with the lady's convo too. Not sure why she was there if not to attend to customers. Maybe you need to have two ticket booths open. Management, please train your staff to be more aware to serve customers who have less time to see your wonderful museum and use better and tone.

The museum is impressive from the outside and dare I say profound on the inside. I felt really moved by the stories shared and sad for what they illustrated. I enjoyed the mix of history and current goings on. The videos were well done and the displays were top notch. In addition to the beautiful artifacts, I enjoyed the Smithsonian exhibition and the "van ride" the most.

fantastic display of all sorts of First American culture and great short films in the theater

On our way back from Kansas several weeks ago, we wanted to make sure that we stopped to visit the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. It is difficult to find adequate words to convey just how impressed I was with the staff, premises and the exhibits. We will have to make a return trip to see everything we were unable to see or do this time. You could spend the greater part of a day there. I've only included a few interior photos here. There was so much to see. There is ample on-site parking and modest admission fees. You can buy your tickets online ahead of time. We used senior discounts and our tickets were $10. The outer perimeter of the grounds is still under active construction. The fantastic outdoor sculpture,'Touch to Above,' an open hand suspended from a stainless steel arch, by Cherokee artists Demos Glass and Bill Glass Jr., provides a gateway for visitors. "A closed hand would mean you're not welcome, but an open hand means you are welcome here." Signs clearly direct you away from the massive stone entrance to other doors to gain entry. Inside, we read that "The First Americans Museum honors the ancestors who lived here before it was Oklahoma." "Only a few tribal Nations were indigenous to what is now the State of Oklahoma. All others were removed from homelands across the contiguous U.S. to Indian Territory." "In one place, visitors experience the collective histories of 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today. First Americans Museum shares the cultural diversity, history, and contributions of the First Americans." I prepared for this Museum experience with a fair amount of reading. I knew that we would only have perhaps two to three hours. I can tell you that if you take in everything that is here - lunch at the acclaimed modern indigenous cuisine restaurant, the gift shop, neither of which we were able to do, as well as the second floor exhibits on loan from the National Museum of the Native American in Washington, D.C.; which we rushed through - you need to allow most of the day. We also didn't even make it outside to the mound! You can go inside or climb to the top for a view of the city. I had no idea we would be able to walk up to the top. "Oklahoma has a rich legacy of mound building cultures dating back to around 500 CE. The mound cradles the outdoor Festival Grounds featuring activities including powwows, stick-ball games, concerts, and cultural festivals." The FAM has Seasonal programs during special times of year to celebrate the winter and summer solstice as well as the spring and autumnal equinox. Overall, the FAM has three main exhibit galleries, two theaters and two restaurants focusing on Native food; a casual eatery and the acclaimed Restaurant 39. We have to go back and you really should go! https://www.thirtyninerestaurant.com/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/brand-new-museum-oklahoma-city-honors-indigenous-people-at-every-turn-180978742/ https://famok.org/about-us/

This is one of the most important and powerful museums in our county. It displays in detail, the history of Native Americans being dispelled from their homes, and forced to move to Oklahoma. The museum details the lives and culture of the 39 Native American tribes. This museum is incredible.

This truly is an excellent museum. New, light-filled, open and spacious. Employees are super helpful and kind. The best thing about this museum is that it was built and curated by first Americans people in conjunction with the Smithsonian. This is the most honest, well organized museum centering on first Americans that I've ever visited. One section focuses on colonization, forceful relocation, and genocide. Another focuses on First American traditions and civilizations. As you move through history, you transition into how First Americans have fought to persevere, and how they've contributed to modern day society. You learn about everything from massacres to the notorious "schools," to First American war heroes, professional athletes, creatives, and activists. I really appreciate how the museum not only teaches the proud, yet tragic past--but shows us how great First American people are today. Videos and other visuals are great. I'm not normally one to sit and watch the films in museums, but each one of these are well thought out and vital to understanding. My favorite was the first one--a visual color bomb of a production explaining each tribe's creation story. There is also a great cafe on-site (reviewed separately). Tickets are 15 dollars, but FAM is doing a joint venture with the National Cowboy museum where you can visit both for 25 dollars, rather than 30. FAM is still in progress, building more on every day. Things can only get better, and they are already pretty great.

Be ready to be amazed! This is a gem of a place and a great place to get educated in First American culture. It is a must go when in OK city and a great place to launch your adventure in First Nation Land.

It was a great experience to visit this museum. It's a sad part of American History and one that must not be forgotten. I learned a lot and cried a lot. Highly recommend to anyone who is interested in learning about Native American history.

This museum is impressive from the outside. Hubby and I arrived early due to Google indicating that the museum opens at 10a on Saturday. Two small signs redirected us from the front entrance to another entrance, but the doors were locked. We turned around to leave, and a young lady opened the door to tell us that they open at 11a (it was 10:50a), but we were invited to come inside to wait. We felt the "newness" of the museum collection. The first floor was full of written information and was too much to read, but we felt like we were missing out on things if we did not read everything. The second floor included the artifacts. It appeared that the entire artifact collection was made from the Harrington's collection, so it would have been nice to have more on Harrington himself.... although we made have missed that info from all of the reading. Many of the artifacts also assumed that the viewer knew what it was intended for, so there was no description to tourists like ourselves. The most impressive part of the museum was the glass atrium, which can be seen from the road. Worth a visit to learn about the First Americans.

I agree with a previous review - if I could give this museum 10 starts I would. This museum has a comprehensive history of the 39 tribes that are now located in Oklahoma. The dark history of the first American's treatment is well presented and very educational. ALL aspects of the past, current and future of the 39 tribes is presented. We were disappointed that the on-site restaurant was indefinitely closed (was looking forward to some native american foods) but the tide-us-over snack from the cafe worked out well. The museum can be reached by the river bike trail. Definitely a go-to site.

The restaurant here is amazing. A must try in OKC or the surrounding area. The museum is great and the staff are super helpful.

I'm so proud that we finally have this museum open in the city. It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad people can enjoy this space for a multitude of reasons. I came here during opening weekend and have been back several times for events. It's great they have a theater too. I am also a big fan of their restaurant! There is a lot more development happening around here, so it will be really neat to see how it all comes together. Thank you FAM for providing this space for everyone to honor our first people of North America!

To celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, I'm writing a review of First Americans Museum, the 175,000 square foot cultural institution documenting the rich heritage of all 39 nations that are headquartered in Oklahoma. This museum is the largest single-building tribal cultural center in the country. The architecture pays so much respect to the 39, that the symbolism is everywhere. The Hall of the People is a 110 foot glass atrium that is a modern take on a Wichita grass Lodge. The large open hand suspended from a stainless steel arch in the outside sculpture is a symbol that all are welcome. The theatre features a design by artist Jeri Redcorn, and is meant to evoke her Caddo pottery. Thanks to a partnership with the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, there are 135 items on loan to FAM, from toys and tools to clothing and textiles. Even the way the exhibits are set up is different from most museums, since most museums have a horrible heritage of taking away important cultural items from those they seek to "document". The directors of this museum worked tirelessly for a decade to connect the families back to their objects. And, in the cases where ceremonial items are meant to be destroyed after use, they've elected not to display those, out of a deep respect. They talk about the curatorial continuum and the fact that these cultural items that were collected are as important now as they have always been. The list of events they have planned, from Native fashion shows, to pop art exhibits, to fancy dances, to viewing parties for Native films and TV shows, like the one today for my beloved Rutherford Falls. I can't wait to just hang out here. The input of so many members of all the 39 nations was brought together to create this. It's an incredible gift and I feel so lucky to share in it.

This is an awesome museum. Everything is very well done. I felt very educated and learned a lot of information, especially regarding the Native American genocide. I really enjoyed some cool heritage stories we were told. They had many moving images and small movie/documentaries which I really liked.

My friend is from the Absentee Shawnee tribe and heard about this museum from a relative who highly recommended it. We both went to check it out and throughly enjoyed the tour. There was lots to see, important information to learn and it has some fun interactive areas. I'm really glad he invited me to go with him, as I got a chance to learn a lot at the first American museum, also got to see some truly beautiful artwork and apparel. I was also amazed by the stunning architecture and interior.

Review #102 (First Americans Museum) Location: 659 First Americans Blvd, OKC, OK 73129. S of Reno Ave & I-40 & W of MLK Ave. This is on native land originally belonging to the Seminole and Muskogee Creek Nations. Before construction, the land used to be a former oil field and a moto cross track with 7000 tires that had to be removed to start construction. Concept: The First Americans Museum (FAM) is a culmination of historical artifacts of the 39 indigenous tribes and nations of Oklahoma. The original name of the museum was the "American Indian Cultural Center and Museum." The FAM will showcase artwork, exhibits, written and digital historical information and stories, artifacts, clothing, etc, collected from the 39 Indigenous nations of OKlahoma. The aim is to tell the true stories of the indigenous cultures and their history. There are two main exhibits. One is "Okla Homma" detailing the 39 Tribes of OK, and the other "Winiko" telling stories from over 100 years ago. OKlahoma's state name came from the Choctaw words, Okla Homma, meaning Red People. Hours: Mon: 10am-5pm Tues: closed Wed-Fri: 10am-5pm Sat/Sun: 11am-5pm Bldg/Design/Architecture: The museum consists of 175,000 square feet of space. The entrance has a steel hand inside a large arch, designed by Cherokee artists father and son, Demos and Bill Glass, JR. There are remembrance walls. There is a 110-foot glass half-dome, a representation of a grass house made by the Wichita Tribes. During the summer and winter solstice, the east and west areas of the hall will see the rays of the sunset, and the "Touch To Above" sculpture in the "Hall of the People" will be illuminated. Behind the "Hall of the People" is the Mound and Festival Plaza. Upstairs there are artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian's Native American Indian Collection. There are two theaters, showing movies, concerts, and other venue options. One has 100 seats and the other has 75 seats. There is a Museum FAM Store gift shop offering Native American artwork, clothing, and other items. There is the FAM Restaurant, a sit down restaurant and bar featuring native cuisine; and the FAM café offering coffee, drinks, and other food. History: The original idea for the museum came from OK State Senator, Enoch Kelly Haney, from the Seminole Nation, also an artist, who co-authored a bill in 1994 to create an agency to develop the museum. The bill passed but funding didn't so the concept lay dormant. The funding for the museum began back in 2006 and was stopped in 2012 when funding ran out. In 2015/2016, OKC, the state of OK, and the Chickasaw Nation of OK took on the remaining funding so it could be completed. Construction began again in 2019 and was completed in 2021. Grand Opening: Sep 2021: The FAM is now opening this weekend, Sat, 18 Sep, 8am-10pm. Sun, 19 Sep, 8am-8pm. Mon, 20 Sep, 10am-5pm. The tickets will be $5 for opening weekend Sat-Mon; then go back to original prices starting Wed when they open for regular hours. There will be no parking allowed on the museum grounds for Sat and Sun, as there will be too many people, cars, food trucks to allow it with all the opening ceremonies planned. So there will be parking in the Crooked Oak School south of the museum and a free shuttle to take people to the museum grounds. Parking will be $10 per car. Handicapped parking will be allowed on the FAM property for those who truly need it. Tickets: Normal ticket prices start on Wed, 22 Sep. Adults: $15 Tribal, Senior (62+), Military, Students (13+): $10 Youth: 4-12yrs old: $5 Child: 3 yrs old & under: free {Posted on Sat, 18 Sep 2021}

The first thing you'll encounter when visiting the First Americans Museum is the presence of the architecture in the landscape. It's quite large, though it isn't overwhelming but rather draws you inward. It feels sacred as you walk toward the entrance doors. Once inside, you're immediately drawn into the hall of the peoples, which is a large glass structure with a long, sweeping iron wall moving from outside through the interior. Next, the main floor exhibit is a timeline of the first nations peoples from origin to modern day. The information is beautiful and engaging so as to connect and inspire. The second floor exhibits various items collected from the local cultures, again, displayed respectfully. Finally, the museum store and on-site restaurant are a must stop. We weren't able to dine, but the store had some great items for purchase. Definitely make sure you visit. Take your time. This is not for quick perusal, but paced, thoughtful engagement.

We were in town for a wedding on a reservation not far from Ok City and partook in a group tour of the Museum and was quite impressed by the design and artifacts that filled the museum. Absolutely gorgeous building and so much information. Great to hear all sides in our history and this definitely gave me lots of information about the First Americans. This is a must for anyone and gets you information that you just don't see in the older history books. Enjoyed it and recommend this place highly.

I felt very unwelcome. I believe customer service is the key for a better experience. I was excited to learn about Native American culture but it just felt like a cash grab. The handmade merchandise was absolutely stunning but a lot of things in the gift shop did not have price tags. The employees were not interested in helping us either. I gave 3 stars for the new things I learned and the 2nd floor gallery.

Beautiful outside with ample parking. Inside is well layed out. I went for the restaurant which was completely booked. I bought a couple if items from the gift shoppe and felt the engaged conversation quickly escalated in a negative way which caused me to leave. Maybe another time.

Beautiful campus with a powerful story to tell. Well executed displays containing images, videos, sound recordings to present the history in an engaging manner. A must see museum in OKC.

Amazing building and architecture. Not sure if it's usually got more going on, but it felt empty or unfinished when we were there.

Highly recommend a trip here. Sadly didn't have time to try the café but the museum itself was very well done - the building itself is an architectural delight and the contents are well curated and laid out and supported in a way that allows it to be both informative and engaging. Would allow 2 hours min to fully take everything in.

I absolutely LOVED this place! I found out about it by striking up a conversation with a manager of a coffee shop in downtown OKC. I highly recommend engaging in conversations with staff or managers of establishments when visiting cities or other places. One never knows what useful information they will walk away with. Who knows, you might make a friend or a friend for life! I never would've learned about this place if I didn't engage in conversation with the manager. This museum is not too far from downtown. It's about a 7-8 dollar Uber ride from actual downtown. They offer discounts for active duty military or veterans. Regular admission fee is $15 and military fee is $10. The young lady at the customer service counter was super friendly and provided me with an overall tour of the museum by letting men know about various places of interest. You can easily spend all day here so I recommend planning accordingly. I spent a half day and could've used more time to continue enjoying the museum. They opened in September 2021 so it's not even a year old. The first thing that strikes me is the beautiful architecture. The main lobby is very impressive! LOVED all of the windows and the height; how it gives you such a beautiful view of the sky. Directly in back of the museum is a beautiful mound that was built with 500,000 cubic yards of earth. There is a nice paved walkway from the back of the museum all the way to the highest point. It takes about 45 minutes round trip to walk it. I highly recommend this due to the stunning views you will see, especially at the top. You will be treated to a nice view of the OKC skyline. I believe the mound was built to replicate Native Americans use of mounds for celestial viewing and to track the sun along with lunar cycles. There is so much to see and do here! Another highlight is "Origins Theater" which showcases Native Americans origins along with their history. I could've watched this 3-4 times. The cinematic quality was impressive. I also enjoyed the "Powwow Van" feature in the museum. This educates viewers on various Powwows with several Native American tribes. They also have another theater which features films throughout the day. They were featuring films on the Apache tribe during my visit. The cafe and restaurant was closed during my visit. However, I had an opportunity to peak inside and view the menu. I recommend visiting when it's open. Great place to grab lunch or enjoy a beverage, to take a break from all of the walking you will do. There is also a section of the museum that educates patrons on how the museum idea was started, how funding occurred and the various stages of construction. It should be noted, there are 39 Native American tribes in Oklahoma! LOVE how Oklahoma is rich with Native American history! This was well worth my time and a place I will definitely visit again. Overall, this was my favorite place to visit in OKC. I highly recommend visiting this museum! It's well worth the admission fee and your time. It will also broaden your mind about Native American history, told through their perspectives. LOVED that about this place! Enjoy!

This place is a cesspool of liars, cheaters, and manipulators. You will not be treated well here if you don't know someone. From the front desk to the custodial crew, this place would be better off closed. Favoritism runs rampant in this excuse for a work place, and all of your hard work will be thrown away and praise will be given to someone less deserving. There is no room for improvement here. Custodians get treated like garbage by the "higher ups" and have to deal with incompetent management both at the facility and the HQ in Alaska. Stay away from this place. They have shut down their restaurant and put a bunch of people out of jobs, they have shut down the theater because they weren't getting enough foot traffic and have been firing people left and right for small infractions. Don't spend your money here, don't have events here because you're eating off of dishes that aren't being properly washed, and they're cutting back more and more of the custodial supplies. Toilets are not being cleaned thoroughly, handrails don't get dusted or wiped, and the touch screens are only cleaned with water. The glass in the Hall of Fame is falling and wasps are everywhere and not being taken care of. Security is unarmed and unmotivated to do anything. The store is a scam and taking all your money. So yourself a favor and go anywhere but here.

Such a beautiful museum. I felt emotional and inspired walking throughout. This museum is a wonderful representation and reminder of how important history is, how rich indigenous culture is, and who's land were on. I look forward to attending some of the many events hosted at FAM. I'm so grateful such a beautiful, meaningful space exists in Oklahoma City.

Wow! What an amazing experience. This place is gorgeous and every nook and cranny has a bit of culture and history in it. The origin story room just flabbergasted me, so gorgeous, immersive, and informative. I could sit in there for hours. It's not a museum for you to just look at artifacts. You can schedule living history demonstrations, have lunch, walk the grounds. 10/10 must visit!!

I discovered this museum online prior to my trip to Oklahoma City. When I heard of the grand opening I decided that I wanted to check it out. When I arrived for the grand opening, I have to admit the things seemed a little disorganized. If you were a visitor to Oklahoma City and you were not aware of how things were set up, it was very annoying and distracting. For one when you try to drive up to the actual building you had police officers that were directing you away saying that only reserved parking for volunteers and workers were at the actual building. So you found yourself turning around and going back out into the street trying to find where the parking was provided. The second confusing thing, there was a flea market Operating right next to the museum and it's lot was full of cars and people who were vigorously shopping. The police department never explained if that's where the parking was so you found yourself pulling into the flea market only to be discouraged and assured that that's not where you're supposed to park so you wound up turning around and leaving that lot. After a few minutes of riding around in confusion you eventually saw little signs, (that I felt could've been a little bigger in helping people find it) leading you to the parking lot for the museum. I guess because they knew it was going to be extremely confusing for people they did offer shuttles to the event so at least once you got your car parked you didn't have to worry about how you were going to get to it from that point. However they did charge you $10 to park in a Public school parking lot, which I thought was kind of strange. Once you get over the confusion of the parking and you actually make it to the museum everything was beautiful. They have food truck vendors selling authentic Native American food but also selling other foods as well. They had a real TP that sat in the middle of the field behind the building however they wouldn't let anyone in it. The inside of the building was very nice but they gave maps to tell you how to get around the building and I didn't find the maps very helpful but they did have elevators so that you didn't have to climb stairs if you didn't want to. They had gift shops, with beautiful made native clothing, jewelry and books. Halls were filled with lots of pictures of all of the tribes, they even had artistic participation for people who visited. I partook in a painting the original artist drew a beautiful sketch of a painting and everyone who visited could take paint and add to the picture to finish the image. I did the leg of a wolf. They were other people who contributed to the same picture and then there were other ones that you could do as well. Overall it was very very nice but you could tell that it was their first time operating. I found out that it took 30 years to get the museum up and running so it kind of explains why things were a little chaotic but what you saw and learned inside overrode the confusion of getting there. If you're ever in Oklahoma City check it out

Happy for the Native Americans for finally getting this museum done but there aren't hardly any physical pieces, it's just cheaply printed panels with information on it. Information is a strong word. Who's good versus who's evil is as caricatured as a Disney movie. No real objectivity.

This museum is an amazing addition to OKC and I enjoyed every single thing. You certainly need at least 4 hours to immerse yourself in the rich history of each tribe and it will truly change your soul.

The building is majestic! Their is so much to see. I enjoyed it. Will have to go back again to take it all. Try the Bison Burger. It's great!

I visited in October for a private event and was blown away by how cool this place is. The building is beautiful and the vast windows in the great hall were perfect for viewing the Oklahoma sunset over the mound outside. The staff at FAM were very kind and helpful. The food, catered by the FAM chefs, was genuinely exquisite. An impressive number of dishes for a variety of palates. I especially enjoyed the food with a southern/traditional native flair. I will be back for the food!!! The auditorium/theatre space was also spacious, and the gift shop had lots of cool items for guests. I wish I could have spent more time in the galleries. The curator I met was super knowledgeable, and you can tell the exhibits were thoughtfully designed.

AMAZING food at the FAM Restaurant. The food is also part of the learning experience of the Museum. I am a food snob, and this is one of the best restaurants I have gone to in literally the world. Utilizing traditional foods with a twist is an awesome epigastric experience. Additionally, there to much related to sustainability. HIGHLY recommend everyone goes here.

We loved visiting the FAM. It does an amazing job of detailing the tragic history that America has while also taking joy and pride in First American culture, language, history, and so much more. It really made me sit back and wonder what the Americas would look like today if the colonists hadn't arrived or had simply respected the peoples and the treaties that were agreed upon rather than forcing wars, removals, and assimilation policies upon the continents. It definitely deepened my appreciation of the tribes and humbled me.

Awesome and informative museum. Their upstairs gallery with objects from the Smithsonian is the best part. They have some fun interactive stuff and they do a great job of telling the story of the first Americans.

What a beautiful and sensitive place. The narratives, graphics are Smithsonian quality. I especially like the spoken narratives on many topics. The exhibit of native people's belongings made me appreciate how they are not things, but imbued with spiritual and family meaning. The cafe in the museum is top notch...bison, corn dishes, chilies plus lots of other things. Well worth fitting this into your visit

Hear the story of First Americans from First Americans themselves. This museum was refreshing compared to how other museums, history books, and movies have talked about First Americans. Foremost, they existed before the European colonists arrived and not everything they do is related to European colonists. We learned about the huge diversity among the 39 nations forced into Oklahoma territory, including their origin stories, ancestral lands, traditions, and how they came together to create this museum. The tragedies and triumphs for First Americans are presented honestly and unflinchingly. Truth is told and credit is given to people who have been unsung. I am most grateful for the examples given of the racist origins of things people still say today. We walked away with new knowledge about stereotypes and a determination to eliminate those phrases from our speech. Allow extra time to thoroughly absorb this special museum made by and dedicated to the First Americans.

So much to take in! Easy to spend multiple hours on the multi-media and interactive information. Easily accessible for visitors in a wheelchair. One unfortunate note is the lack of actual artifacts -- lots of replicas and photos.

This museum is still going through some construction, so maybe once it's done it will have a more complete history of Oklahoma's Native American tribes. I was expecting a history section for each tribe, but they were kinda lumped together.

Super construction and displays. Very much needed to show the Natives contribution to our terrific state. My friend invited me to the Potato Dance world championship. I had never heard of this tradition but I was glad I got to witness. Very enjoyable. Everyone should visit the museum. Also after i parked a nice gentleman gave me a ride to the entrance in a golf cart. That's our state. So friendly