About First Americans Museum
Formerly known as the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, the First Americans Museum (FAM) is a museum in Oklahoma City, United States. Its mission is to share the cultural diversity, history and contributions of the 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today.
History of First Americans Museum
The First Americans Museum was originally initiated in the 1990s. Construction on the museum began in 2006, but was interrupted in 2012 when state funding ran out. In 2019, construction began again, and the First Americas Museum was officially opened in September 2021.
The museum aims to highlight the history of the First Americas of Oklahoma. The state itself is named from two Choctaw words, Okla and Homma, meaning ‘Red People.’ They note that only a few tribal nations were indigenous to what is now the State of Oklahoma: all others were removed from homelands to US-designated Indian Territory.
The centre serves as a dynamic reminder to promote awareness about the unique diversity, cultures, history, contributions and resilience of the First American Nations in Oklahoma.
First Americans Museum today
At 175,000 square feet, the museum is home to a wealth of state-of-the-art exhibitions that cover First American culture, art and history. Importantly, the exhibitions within the museum are constantly developed in close collaboration with the tribal nations of Oklahoma as well as Native scholars and researchers.
Intrinsic to the museum is the 18,000 square foot Okla Homma exhibition, which speaks to the range of stories of the 39 tribes in Oklahoma through sound, sight and touch. Topics include collective histories, representation and misrepresentation, sports games and warriors.
Another highlight is the 270-degree Origins Theater, which presents four tribal Origin Stories which have been scripted, narrated and animated by Native community members.
The museum is also home to a restaurant that serves Native-inspired cuisine as well as a shop that sells authentic and unique hand-made items by First American artists.
Getting to First Americans Museum
FAM is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the Crossroads of America, the confluence on Interstates 35, 40, 235 and 44.
FAM is positioned along the Oklahoma River across from downtown. The address is 659 First Americans Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73129
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