Oklahoma Territorial Museum & Carnegie Library(56)
- Jonathan Elmore
- Oct 31
- 2 min read
Updated: Dec 2
GUTHRIE
Sometimes I forget that some towns aren't all that far away from me. Living in Oklahoma City makes day trips in the Sooner state more of a possibility, but no matter where you live in Oklahoma, really cool things aren't that far away from you either. Less than a half hour away from my house is Guthrie. And there is a lot to see and do in Oklahoma's first capital.
The Oklahoama Territorial Museum is attached to one of the original Carnegie Libraries. In the photos, I seperated the pics I took in the library because they're two seperate buildings that have been connected. After I read the placard about Andrew Carnegie (see photo), I went home and did some more research. He was one of those hyper-wealthy people that actually did some good with his fortune. Rather than hoarding cash and building rockets, he opened 2,500 public libraries. He also established universities, Carnegie Hall, the Peace Palace, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. If you have some spare time, check out all the things he did. It's impressive. But as Snoop Dogg once said, "Alright, back to the lecture at hand."
The Museum is a treasure trove of artifacts and memoribilia from the earliest days of Indian Territory and Oklahoma. As I toured the museum, I noticed that a lot of the informational placards were a little more 'matter of fact' than others I had seen like it. I read Atlas News and they present the news as it is. There's no spin, so emotional rant, just the facts. That was the same as the museum's displays. No sugar coated version of history, just what happened and where it happened. Not that other museums I've been to do that, but with the advent of the internet, and people who want to whitewash history, it's good to see the good and the bad parts of history on display so we can learn from it and not sweep it under the rug. I appreciate the Oklahoma Territorial Museum for this.
I also aprreciated the decorations while I was there. The staff was gearing up for a Halloween celebration for kids so there were pumpkins, games, witches, and one elephant all throughout the building. What a great opportunity to get kids involved in a museum! As I was headed out, I stopped in the gift shop where I got a few unique stickers that I hadn't seen in any other museums. That's always nice! If you're in Guthrie, take a few minutes to go stroll around the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library!
406 E Oklahoma Ave, Guthrie
405-282-1889
Entry Fee: $10-Adults, Seniors(62+)-$8, Students(6-18)-$5, Kids Under 5-Free, Veterans and Active Military(w/ID)-Free
Hours: Tue-Sat: 9:00 - 5:00
Jonathan Elmore ©2025
