Top Rated Attractions in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City, or simply OKC, is the state capital of Oklahoma and its largest city. OKC is very much in touch with the times but pays homage to its Western roots with pomp and show. The historic Stockyards City brings the Old West to life, while Frontier City is a convincing replica of an 1800s frontier town, complete with re-enactments of gunfights. There's also the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum with its lively chronicles of this distinctive era of American history. At the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, temporary exhibitions are showcased alongside excerpts from the museum's vast permanent collection and the world's most comprehensive repertoire of Chihuly glass. The cinema on site simultaneously shows a weekly program of independent, foreign and art films. As for the classical performing arts, the Civic Center Music Hall hosts the city's opera, ballet and philharmonic ensembles in spectacular Art Deco surrounds. While Oklahoma City's many attractions are a celebration of the arts, culture and history, the National Memorial commemorates the tragic attacks of 1995 that rocked the city. This stoic memorial is as much a part of the fabric of Oklahoma City as its more lively side; an indelible mark that has been immortalized by this moving monument to the human spirit. Besides these, there are the usual big city trimmings - fine steakhouses, plentiful entertainment and a great set of events to anticipate.

The Myriad Botanical Garden is a green oasis that offers space and serenity within the concrete urban sprawl of Oklahoma City's downtown. The gardens are spread across 17 acres (6.9 hectares), and the horticulturists often offer educational classes and workshops as well as just a place to relax. Upon entering, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory contains more than 2000 species of plants and in addition to permanent species, the gardens display rotating exhibits such as orchids and more exotic plants throughout the year. The Grand Event Lawn in the outer gardens and the Water Stage on the lake are frequently used for events like concerts, theater and movie screenings year-round.

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has more than 3000 works from 19th and 20th-century American artists. The highlight is a gallery that focuses on modern American art from the 1950s and 1960s, which includes work by Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Diebenkorn and Robert Indiana. Additionally, this art museum attracts wonderful traveling exhibits that are a must for connoisseurs. Guided tours are available for groups with ten or more people as long as the reservation is made two weeks prior to visit.

One of its kind, the American Banjo Museum is home to a vast collection of music, media, documents and memorabilia. all connected to this instrument with origins in Africa. With over 300 banjos alone, the museum boasts the largest public exhibition them in the world. The banjo is said to have been introduced to this country by African slaves as it had derived from a similar instrument. Over the centuries, the banjo has come to win the hearts of musicians and music fans everywhere, and is today used in a range of musical genres like jazz, folk music, country music and bluegrass music. A visit to this museum will tell you more about this mystical five-stringed melody-maker.

Overlooking the Civic Center, this downtown urban park is a hub for cultural and leisure activities. Bicentennial Park with its lovely water feature and raised stage is not only a place to gather but also a performance space and the home of the annual Starlight Supper.

April 19, 1995 was one of the darkest days in Oklahoma City's history. On that day Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was attacked by Timothy McVeigh, subsequently killing 168 people. The site contains two parts, the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial and the museum itself. Inside the museum, you will see 168 empty chairs; one for each innocent victim, 19 of which included children. The most endearing tribute, however, is the part of the fence that has been left over from the makeshift memorial that stood here for five years after the attack. Today, visitors will see letters, photos, flowers and other precious sentiments left by survivors and visitors. Also prominently featured in the memorial is the Survivor Tree, it has become a symbol of hope to the people of Oklahoma City.