In 1925 an oilman names Frank Phillips decided to build a retreat in Northeastern Oklahoma.  This ranch encompasses 3,700 acres where it is a wildlife preserve for many different species of native and exotic wildlife.  There are buffalo, elk and longhorn cattle.  On the land is also a museum showcasing a wonderful collection of western art and artifacts.  Included in the displays are Native American material, one of the best collections of Colt firearms in the world and amny other items.  There is a nature trail and two living history areas for you to experience the natural environment of Woolaroc.  There is the pre-Civil War 1840’s mountain man camp and an early-day oil lease.

At the museum you will be able to see one of America’s most unique displays of Western art and artifacts from Native American pottery, baskets, beads, blankets and cultural art; there are historical displays and the Colt display.  The Native American displays trace the prehistoric civilizations of Oklahoma with the baskets, pottery and Navajo blankets.  The displays include items from the Apache, Hopi and Pueblos located in Arizona and New Mexico.  There are beaded buckskins and feather bonnets from the Plains tribes showing their beauty to all that visit.  With approximately 40 different tribes work on display you will certainly get a broad exposure to the culture of the past.

The Fine art paintings include the work of greats such as Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russel, William R. Leigh, Frank Tenney Johnson, Thomas Moran and others.  Contemporary artists such as Wilson Hurley, John Clymer, Clark Hulings, and Bettina Steinke. Five of the original six Taos Society Artists are represented: O.E. Berninghaus, E.I. Couse, Herbert Dunton, Bert Phillips, and J.H. Sharp.

Is there anything that is more beautiful than good sculpture?  Here you will see pieces by many of the great western artists, including Remington and Russel. There are 12 bronzes for you to see. There are heroic-sized sculptures by Bryant Baker and Jo Mora both inside and outside the museum.

There are also the works of contemporary sculptors such as Harry Jackson, Joe Beeler and John D. Free.

The over 30 varieties of native and exotic animals and birds that call Woolaroc home are part of the working ranch.  You can take the two mile drive through the animal preserve to the main complex where you may well see the animals which roam the entire preserve, then again, they may not be near enough for you to see them so you will have to come back another time and try then.

Of course the most prominent species at the ranch are the American Bison, elk and longhorn cattle, which are native to this area.  Some of the other species include the Japanese Sika deer, North European fallow deer, water buffalo, llamas, aoudads, ostriches, Sardinian donkeys and pigmy goats.  These are wild animals so stay in your car.  Don’t leave your car to photograph, feed or touch any of the animals…they are wild and will stay that way!

Regular Schedule: Wednesday thru Sunday 10 - 5
Summer: Tuesday thru Sunday 10 - 5

Admission: Adults $8; Over 65 $6 and Children 11 and younger are Free.

Directions: Woolaroc is located on Oklahoma State Highway 123, twelve (12) miles southwest of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Tours/services
Group Tours

For school or other group tours, please call Carol at 918-336-0307, ext. 31. She will help schedule your dates, help you with food services and can discuss our group rates. Woolaroc will help make sure that your trip is special and that your group experiences some of the MAGIC of Woolaroc!
Shopping

The Museum Store is located in the Woolaroc Museum. The Museum Store carries a wide variety of gifts, Native American-made jewelry, pottery, books on related subjects, reproductions of some selected paintings, and other unique gifts.
Food Service

Buffalo Haunt Concession Stand - Sandwiches, snacks and drinks are available at the Buffalo Haunt located adjacent to the Woolaroc Heritage Center. There are picnic tables and a covered pavilion at the adjacent picnic area. Indoor seating is also available in the Heritage Center Building.
Facility Rentals

The Clyde Lake Pavilion and the Woolaroc Events Center are available for rental for special events and business functions by calling the Foundation Office at (918) 336-0307-x10.

Location: Mailing address: 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville, OK 74003

Phone: (918) 336-0307 ex. 10
Fax: (918) 336-0084
Toll free: 888-WOOLAROC (966-5276) ex. 10

Email: woolarocmail@woolaroc.org

If you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright and want to see the only "skyscraper" he designed then you need to come to Bartlesville.  The Price Tower is the only cantilevered skyscraper designed by him and was inspired by a tree.  It is a National Historic Landmark destination which serves local, regional and global audiences for its architecture and art.

The Price Tower Arts center integrates history, a museum, hotel and restaurant in the downtown are of Bartlesville.  See the exhibitions that are on display, which change regularly so you won’t get bored seeing the same thing all the time.  Take for instance the 106,000 aluminum cans that are transformed into pieces of artwork.  The displays are created to show the impact of the transformation of common objects such as audio takes, floppy disks, water bottles, newspapers, old clothes and more made into art.  This display expands the notion of what can be considered art.  The exhibitions concepts and contents raise questions about our society’s habits of consumption and attitudes toward the environment, natural and human resources and offer artistically conceived alternatives.  It is thought that the exhibit may cause some reflection on how we can examine our own habits of buying and tossing things. 

The tower also is home to the Inn at Price Tower where visitors can stay in Wrights glass-wrapped sleeping lofts and dine on the 16th floor terrace.  There are just 19 rooms at the Inn but may well be worth checking out if you are planning to stay in town.

Tours are offered of the Tower with the stories of Frank Lloyd Wright and how this pioneering experiment in the multi-use skyscraper was designed in a tall, slim, richly detailed structure to handle business offices, retail and apartments.

Arts center Gallery Admission: $4 adults; $3 Seniors, free for children 16 years and under (tax not included.)

Tower Tour Admission: $10 adults (15 -64); $8 Senior (65+); $5 Students and children 16 and under, included gallery admission (tax not included.)

Tour Times: Tuesday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m.  Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more for both Tower Tours and Museum.  Special group rates are available.  Call 918-336-4949 for more information.

Price Tower Arts Center museum features both temporary and permanent collection on view Tuesday - Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 12 to 5.

The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Mondays
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Location: 510 Dewey Ave., Bartlesville, OK 74003

Telephone: 918-336-4949

Email: Scott Perkins, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions: sperkins@prictower.org
 

Not everyplace has a big blue whale sitting at the edge of a pond for people to enjoy either swimming in the pond and jumping off the tail of the Big Blue or just getting your picture taken in the whales’ mouth.

The Blue Whale was build by a man named Hugh Davis in the early 1970’s as an anniversary gift for his wife who collected whales.  In 1988, due to health issues of Mr. Davis, the area was closed down but in late the 1990’s the area was restored by local volunteers and fundraisers to give Route 66 the Blue Whale of Catoosa again.

The Blue Whale is one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66 in Oklahoma.  This 80 ft long whale was built out of pipe and concrete.  It ended up being a gathering and swimming place for those traveling on 66 or townspeople and their kids.  In 1988, when the Davis’ just weren’t able to take care of it any longer, it fell into disrepair, the rest of the park that had grown out of the idea of the whale totally decayed but the whale was too beloved by the townspeople and they refurbished it so you can still enjoy being there.

There are some picnic spots near the whales’ mouth for those that want to take a lunch break.

Location: 2705 N Hwy 66, Catoosa, OK
 

In the southwestern corner of Oklahoma, visitors will find the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Situated just outside Lawton, the refuge was opened in 1901 as a protected area for some of the most unique wildlife habitats in the country. Today it is the oldest managed wildlife refuge within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge spans more than 59,000 acres and is home to a wide array of different species. Within the refuge there are 240 different types of birds, 806 different plant species, 64 reptiles and amphibians and 36 types of fish. Not only are many of the species that reside in the refuge unique, but the location of the refuge is also geologically unique as well. (more…)