Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

Truly had an extraordinary time! There was so much to see and we learned so much! I loved the hands on aspect of some of the exhibits, and loved that there were questions throughout to see if you knew the answers already! It was such a fun experience and would highly recommend!

Amazing place! Great place for children and adults. Not to big but not to small. So many interactive activities.

It is a place to enjoy many sculptures and fossils of dinosaurs and other animals, games for children and a shop to buy souvenirs from the museum.

This museum was a wonderful stop. The exhibits were well displayed and informative. There were interactive items for kids to do too. We went on a weekday and there were very few people. Well worth the visit.

Unfortunately, I have a bad back, so I had to sit down a lot, and that probably affected my enjoyment of the place. And my rating! Truth be told, this place was boring in some places and interesting in others. This museum seems set up for archeology and anthropology students, which is probably why it's on the OU campus. But I enjoy (or would enjoy, if my back didn't hurt) visiting museums, so I did enjoy it (or again, would have).

This was a lot of fun, and the best part was meeting Nance, who, after telling her it was our first time visiting, gave us a tour in the bone section. She had personally been on several digs herself along with years at some of the best museums. She was knowledgeable and funny and made the experience that much more fun. Besides that, the rest of the museum was awesome and educational, and we had an excellent time. Can't wait to go back with the kids.

Got a private tour from the lead archaeologist thanks to my grandpa. Got to see all the behind the scenes stuff, like legit bones and fossils still being uncovered. Never had a cooler museum experience.

I just want to thank the museum for allowing the CacheFest 2024 team to have their Night at the Noble geocaching event here. Their “night at the museum” set up was an absolutely hilarious event and an awesome time was had by everyone. My kids explored the exhibits and truly enjoyed themselves. The museum staff was so kind and generous of their time as well. Thank you so much!

Took my boys here on a very random day during fall break. I was impressed they had a lot more to entertain children than i thought they would! My boys loved the dinosaur exhibits and we even met a sweet tour guide that let us hold the bones and she shared the history of them and happily answered their questions. The kids museum is located in the back of the building on the first floor by the stairs and so many cool things in here. Not to mention a great clean place for a potty break!

What a cool venue and museum. Large, spacious, clean and well designed with exhibits and artifacts teaching in every direction! Our kids couldn't wait to go from one exhibit to the other! Very well done!

Take the kids or grandkids for a visit to the museum. Older kids will want to read everything and pull open doors. Younger ones will just be looking and wondering. Our favorite is the dinosaur displays. There is even a lady that will give you interesting facts. For second level, you can ride elevator and see them from up high. Or kids may love to walk the long stairs up. Currently they have a traveling bug section but it's really a small play area. They do have a worker there to keep control of the area. It's not too big, so just a couple hours. It's super clean, quiet during week. They do have a gift shop also. Cost is 10 and seniors 8. A great place to visit once a year.

We needed something to do for a couple hours to pass the time and we found this museum. What a great find! First it's on campus, which was fun. We drove around to see the rest of campus. Second, there's SO much to see and do inside. Several interactive exhibits and even a little hands on room for the little kids. We loved the dinosaur bones and listening to the employees talk about them. Super fun little visit if you need something to do in the area!

Great museum! Our kids (ages 6 and 8) enjoyed visiting. Many hands - on exhibits that had appeal for all ages. Large facility and never felt crowded.

Came down for the eclipse in 2024 and hit the museum. Wow! When I got back home to Washington I raved about this museum to all my friends and coworkers. Large collection, Oklahoma-centric (reasonably enough), and without a doubt the most beautifully curated museum I've ever visited. Friendly and helpful staff, well maintained, clean. Just nothing but positives. So glad I went. My only regret is that my daughter wasn't with me.

Outstanding museum with many facets of Oklahoma's natural bounty and cultures on display. This is an excellent museum for children AND adults - truly something interesting for everyone. 5 learn something new here stars!

This museum was an amazing experience for my children (ages 2 & 9), we went randomly on a Wednesday & had the best time! It was definitely the highlight of our day.. I recommend taking your children here, it is awesome & inexpensive (military/veterans get in free)..

Okay, this is an amazing museum, with wonderfully interactive exhibits for the kids, and adults can learn so much too if they are interested and want to. They've thought of everything here, like when you're walking through the dinosaur exhibit, every big stripe in the carpet represents a mass extinction... how cool is that? This would have been a wonderful thing to do on a rainy Saturday anyway, but our experience was immensely enhanced by the fantastic docent, Ms. Nance (Dr. Nance, perhaps?). You could tell by her "4000 hour" pin on her lapel that she's spent many a Saturday doing just what she did with us. She picked us, wondering around a little bit overwhelmed, and gave us the tour of a lifetime of that dinosaur room. Many of the fossils she had worked on herself, and she had so many stories about when and how they were found, so many of them right here in Oklahoma. She told us more than I think I've ever learned in such a short amount of time, and you know we were getting such an infinitesimal fraction of what she knows on the topic. She was so patient with my littles (my three year old daughter and five year old nephew) and she even got out her keys and got out a dinosaur pinky for us to hold. Now, you guys know me. I was interested in what she was saying, because it was such an awesome thing to get to learn so much so quickly. But what I really wanted to do was hear her life story. She mentioned scuba diving in the pacific, going on digs, living in California, college in Massachusetts... I wanted to plunk her down at the coffee shop and get the full story. Maybe next time! If you see a docent, feel free to ask them for a mini tour! And if you see a mini tour in progress, just join in. There were people looking at us, I think they were wondering why we were getting the star treatment. I don't know why she chose us but I'm so glad she did! Thank you, Ms/Dr Nance!

We LOVE this hidden gem in Norman. I used to visit this museum as a kid on school trips so it's very awesome that I get to bring my own here. They offer free entry to OU Students and Military personnel. When we first started coming, I was a student, my son was 2, and my husband is military so we were pleasantly surprised with free entry! This place is great for those of all ages! My son doesn't really understand quite was he's looking at in each exhibit but he enjoys it as much as anyone! The dinosaur exhibit sparked his passion for all things dinosaur. We ended up doing his third birthday party dinosaur themed. We like to play I-Spy in the exhibits and see if we can notice things we haven't before. It's usually pretty laid back and quiet enough to do your own thing. Definitely recommend this museum to anyone near or far!

The Sam Noble Museum in Norman is a great place to visit as an adult or child. The Museum has an amazing collection of dinosaurs, other fossils, and a wonderful American Indian Exhibit. The Museum has stairs and elevators. Bathrooms are easily accessible on each floor. Workers are more than willing to share their knowledge and help small hands touch many different fossils. It is easy to take a group tour or stroll through on your own. They accept purchase orders which makes my planning simple. Needing a gift? I recommend their gift shop for purchasing gifts for all occasions.

Came here for a private reception for a technical conference in Norman. As it was after hours some of the main exhibits were closed. I manage to browse most of the dinosaur and fossil exhibits in the ground floor along with the Galileo exhibits and Native American exhibits in the second floor. Although the museum isn't as impressive as the Smithsonian or Harvard Natural History Museum, its still a nice one to visit while in Norman. I especially liked how some of the dinosaur skeletons and fossils were described to have originated in Oklahoma. They had this one dinosaur I've never seen before with a tiny head but a gigantic body. It looked funny and ridiculous since with a mouth that tiny how much could it eat? I'm not sure if the museum staff catered the food for our event, but if they did it was an awesome job - chicken skewers, meatballs, artichoke dip, roasted veggies, and finger desserts (lemon bars, brownies) were excellent. 4 stars overall.

We have been to this museum with grandkids ages 3-11. My grands love dinosaurs and the outdoors. 11 yr old was interested in the plates movement and how Oklahoma used to be under water. 8 yr old loved learning about the Oklahoma exclusive dinosaur, meat eater, & has thumbs! 6 yr old loved seeing the Tooth of the Unicorn of the sea, Narwhal! 8 feet long!!

Have been here numerous times with my grandson. He loves it! The dinosaur displays are incredible!! They have a café if you need snackage while you're there....you just cant take it inside with you. Very friendly employees. They have rotating exhibits so theres a wide range of things to view. There is a hands on play room for the kiddos where they can dig fossils, read, create puppet shows and touch a lot of stuff! Its hard to get them out of there!

This was such a fun experience with my nephews. Lots to explore and it still felt like there was more to see. It was easy to get around and felt like a giant science playground (if that's a thing). We went to the science show and were blown away (almost literally) by the scientists experiments. This is def a must see and do if there are inquisitive kiddos in the family!

This is a great place to take the entire family to visit. Be prepared to learn about dinosaurs, a little of Oklahoma's history, amongst other things like dinosaurs, bones, and the different eras. I enjoyed the Chocolate exhibit, the Indian exhibits, and the dinosaur exhibits the best. After you've explored the exhibits, stop by the gift store, too. I bought some sterling silver birdy earrings there and a couple of dinosaur toys.

This place is fantastic for both adults and children. The Sam Noble Museum has a nice collection of permanent displays and rotating exhibits of flora, fauna, and peoples which have lived in Oklahoma throughout the ages. The permanent dinosaurs are always favorites of my son, as are the depictions of prairie life. He's been at least a dozen times and doesn't get tired of it. There are a few volunteers in various locations in the museum which can offer additional information regarding specific topics. I have found them to be very knowledgeable and willing to deal with children, which is very important. Also, the majority of the exhibits have accompanying explanations or interactive buttons. While my son may just like pushing buttons that light up some lights on a board, he is actually learning when we talk about what the board says and means. There is a great hands on room for kids as well which has several activities. The museum may seem small at first glance, but if you are doing it right and really engaging in the exhibits an hour can easily pass before you realize it. There is plenty of parking and discounts for young children, active military, veterans, retired persons, etc. There is a solid gift shop with a great selection and a small cafe. I remember the OU campus before the Sam Noble Museum was built, and I can tell you our university and community are better for having it. Highly recommended.

What a neat museum! Brought our 2 year old before our road trip back to Tulsa. He went nuts! Thought the dinosaur bones were awesome. Also enjoyed the other exhibits. Great for any age. And it's a perfect sized museum. You can hit every part in a decent amount of time. Nice gift shop. $8 adult entrance fee. What a deal!

Went here once as a kid, thought it was great. Now as an adult, seems like it is geared a bit towards children but is still informative and fun! Good way to spend an hour or so. Was prepared to pay the $8 fee but turns out it was the kid's Easter/Egg hunt day so we got in free. I think it would still have been with the $8 but no more than that. Overall: would go back

Nice little university natural history museum. The staff was very friendly. It was fairly interactive for kids. Good value.

Such a nice little place. It had loads for me to see and I didn't even get to read everything. They have dinosaurs and loads of facts. I wish I could bring all of my classes here to view this. Good enough parking and $8 entrance or it's free if you a veteran/military of an OU student. It was nice to be able to learn more about Oklahoma through this museum

Sam Noble Museum is a must visit in Oklahoma! My boyfriend and I were spending the day in Norman and for the conservative price of $5/person, we had to check it out. We happened to go right after they had opened a new rotating exhibit of wildlife art which was really cool. I enjoyed the dinosaur and ancient Oklahoma exhibits the most. It was so interesting to see what our state was like hundreds of millions of years ago. This museum has so much to offer for children and adults alike. I would definitely like to come back for their next rotating exhibit.

The Missus and I decided to have a spur of the moment history trip and these are my thoughts. If you're a nerd like me, you'll really love the Sam Noble Museum. Although it appears to be a small museum, it has a lot to offer! On our trip, we got to enjoy a newly opened western (wildlife) art exhibit, which was alot of fun. (I love art, especially wildlife art.) However, the real winner at Sam Noble was the native Oklahoma exhibits. I can't tell y'all how many times the Missus and I were left in awe by the detail of the native Oklahoma exhibits. From detailed descriptions of the animals...to the sounds that they make, the Sam Noble Museum had it covered. My only beef was with the people that I noticed at Sam Noble. All too often, I saw people skipping awesome exhibits, or just giving them a coupla seconds before they walked away. People, you go to a museum to learn...not to push a couple of Lite Brite buttons and go home. Regardless, the Sam Noble is definitely worth a visit!

SNMONH is a true OK treasure. The price is fantastic ($5 for adults, $3 for kids), the permanent collections are well-thought out and put together and the temporary galleries consistently bring new and engaging exhibits for all age groups. My kids love picking their 'favorite' dinosaurs for each visit and feel an amazing sense of pride when they learn about how many artifacts were discovered in Oklahoma. One of our favorite stops is the Box Hunt Canyon story on the second floor - we stop and listen to it on every trip. We always save the Discovery Room on the ground floor for last - because of the super fun. Seeing the live animals, the cool specimens, doing a little craft, reading a little story ... this is the perfect way to end a trip at the SNOMNH. For fancy stuff, you can also rent the museum for weddings and other events - and I can't think of a better, more dramatic place to celebrate a special event. Enjoy!

I'll be the first to say, Oklahoma really had nothing to really see or do. That being said I was very impressed with this Museum. It had so many wonderful exhibits and they are interactive! The Dino skeletons are so impressive! We seen only one when we visited Chicagos Field Museum, so this museum here in the state of Ok gets a 5 * review! Stop you won't regret it! Kids will love it too. It is small so it won't take you long to go thru it.

Sam Noble is a perfect half-a-day museum that encapsulates much of the overall natural history of Earth within Oklahoma's own geographic history. There are many interactive exhibits that should be fun for kids and, of course, the dinosaurs will take center stage (they even have the actual largest dinosaur skull ever found!) Take the time to talk with the museum's volunteers, they are highly informative and will make your trip much more interesting. The museum store is very decent and has nice gifts at typical museum store prices. Entry is very reasonable and if you're a registered OU Alumni you and your group can get in for free by showing your Alumni card.

Very fun and educational even for older students. They had people there that were very knowledgeable.

Easy access off of I-35. There are plenty of parking available. For military, you get $1 off each ticket. The exhibits are extensive and our children enjoyed walking through the two floors. Elevators are available for the handicap and those with strollers. The prehistoric exhibit is the highlight. Definitely worth a visit with the family.

This was something fun to do on a blustery Saturday. There are some interesting things to see considering the exhibit options are a bit limited. We did enjoy learning about the history of Oklahoma and the original inhabitants. My one year old had fun playing in the discovery area. Fun thing to do in Norman considering the price.

What an unexpected treat in Norman! We enjoyed the whole museum. I wasn't planning on too much and ended up with a great find! Bill, one of the volunteers was amazing and made our visit extra special with all his knowledge. Definitely check out the museum. It was worth the price of admission!

I was pleasantly surprised at this museum! Everything is so well done and beautiful! We came on a Friday and it wasn't too crowded, but there were a few large groups of kiddos (probably field trips). During our visit there was a bug photography display that you have to see to believe. Absolutely stunning! They also have a great gift store with a lot of Natural Science books and information on the history of Oklahoma. There are also several items from local artists. Highly recommend a visit!

Amazing museum! Holy cow this place is great. The admission is very affordable and you can easily spend 3 hours here going through everything. I was fascinated by so much of the museum and thought the exhibits were very well put together. My two year old LOVED it and didn't want to leave. He really enjoyed going up the elevator and being as tall and the long-necked dinosaur who is planted right across from the elevator. There were so many great fossils to see and so much information to take in. It's very educational but not at all boring. This is great for all ages and highly recommended by me!

Fun museum, with lots of info and activities!! Some things are under construction but that's fine. Also our family got in for free memorial weekend because military discount!

Really a great museum to take the family. The first Monday of the month is free for kids plus it is free for active duty military as well so whole family got in for free. (There are other discounts as well such as university employee, senior citizen, student, etc). They have several great fossils of dinosaurs, mammals, and reptiles. Lots of exhibits that kids can touch as well. There was a temporary exhibit called "Be the Dinosaur" which was a pretty cool arcade-like setup that allowed kids to pretend to be a Triceratops and/or a T-Rex and navigate through the forest/jungle terrain. Kids definitely enjoyed this for an hour or so. Museum is new and is kept up to date with the latest and greatest

Visited the Sam Noble museum. This is a super awesome place. Very impressed. Recommend this. Put it on your bucket list.

My daughter's all time favorite museum! The ancient life exists are top notch and there are a ton of interactive things for kids including a cave they can crawl through. A cool discovery zone just for playing and he other exhibits change regularly.

DO NOT GO THERE Their staff are very rude! They turned a fun outing into a stress filled event. We did not appreciate being yelled at "HEY!" They had one small area that they were doing something at; no major roping off of the entire area. We casually walked into the exhibit only to be yelled at : "This is what we put ropes up for!" DUH. So hateful. We are both senior citizens and would in no way go in an area roped off; all we saw was a small part and three guys standing around. They should have roped off the area where you walk into the spot they were working instead of just one tiny place. Rude yelling at us, they could have made their point without embarrassing us in front of our daughter and granddaughter. There are right ways of handling us "violent" people. I will NOT recommend this to anyone.

The best dinosaur exhibit I have ever seen. The whole museum was impressive, but those dinosaurs--wow!!

What a great place to send an afternoon! The volunteers, especially Rodger, are amazing and so knowledgeable! He took the time and answered all our questions. It was like having our own personal tour guide!

We went to the Chocolate exhibit that's in the museum for a limited time. It was very interesting. The only downside is that they tell you all about chocolate and the history of it but don't hand out samples! You have to go to the museum gift shop and buy chocolate if you want any. Although they do have very interesting chocolates in there, like lady bug chocolates. They also have chocolate peppermint tea, which I bought and is very delicious. Right now they're letting military families in for free through labor day. If you are a chocolaholic or just find the history of chocolate interesting, I'd go.

Great stop for the family. Well worth the time. Educational and lots of hands on activities for the kids. This is a must stop of visiting Norman.

Great museum!! The staff were great, the exhibits were amazing and the whole family enjoyed it.

before you begin the museum ... you'll see a cafe when you first walk in on the right.. cafe is closed on sundays and mondays and a gift store on your left two floors.. exhibits on the right and left sides ( so four areas... but when we went ..the left side on the bottom floor was closed) dinosaurs, nature, bugs, animals, indians ...you'll see a big bison statue towards the back center where the elevators and stairs are before you go to the second floor as soon as you go to the second floore..the left side towards the back... there is a discovery room for kids.. to draw, play,etc.. clean and organized first mondays every month are free... or it's $5 for adults, $3 for kids