Oklahoma Historical Society

What Oklahoma Historical Society does

Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is a nonprofit state agency founded in 1893 that collects, preserves, and interprets the history and culture of Oklahoma and its people. It operates a network of 25+ museums and historic sites statewide, anchored by the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City — an 18-acre, 215,000-square-foot Smithsonian Affiliate facility accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The portfolio spans forts (Fort Gibson, Fort Towson, Fort Supply), battlefields (Honey Springs, Cabin Creek), historic homes (Hunter's Home, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Overholser Mansion), subject museums (Will Rogers Memorial, Route 66, Tom Mix, Pioneer Woman), and archaeological sites (Spiro Mounds). Digital assets include the Gateway to Oklahoma History archive, the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (2,600+ entries), E-Exhibits, the A Very OK Podcast, and izi.Travel-powered audio tours.

OHS serves five primary segments: students and families, educators, general public visitors, researchers and genealogists, and property owners/preservation professionals. It also houses the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which administers National Register nominations, Section 106 review, and federal preservation programs funded in part by the National Park Service. Revenue is diversified across seven membership tiers ($40 Basic to $5,000 Benefactor), admissions, donations (including an $18M capital campaign for OKPOP), gift shop sales, facility rentals, and government grants. Marketing is event-driven, spanning digital (social, newsletters, podcasts, webinars), in-person (living history, concerts, symposium), and community channels (historical markers, Route 66 centennial). The flagship expansion in flight is the OKPOP Museum in Tulsa (targeted spring 2028 opening), a popular-culture vertical representing OHS's first major new museum in over a decade.

Name

Oklahoma Historical Society

Legal name

Oklahoma Historical Society

Website

https://okhistory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Oklahoma Historical Society is a nonprofit state agency founded in 1893 that operates 25+ museums and historic sites across Oklahoma, anchored by the Smithsonian-affiliated Oklahoma History Center. It serves students, educators, researchers, and the general public through exhibits, digital archives, and the State Historic Preservation Office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Cultural Heritage Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (71212), Museums (712110), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

National Archives, Records & Information Governance (BPAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media & Entertainment Physical Archives (Film, Tape, Audio Masters) (TLALALAF)

Keywords

• Museum operations
• Historical preservation
• Cultural heritage
• Digital archives
• Educational programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $40 (Basic) to $5,000 (Benefactor), providing unlimited admission to all OHS sites, publications, discounts, and exclusive benefits including Smithsonian Affiliate and NARM reciprocal memberships.
2. Museum Admissions: Entry fees to Oklahoma History Center and other museums generate revenue for daily operations and programs.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations support exhibits, educational programs, special events, and publications. OKPOP Museum completed $18 million private fundraising campaign.
4. Gift Shop and Museum Store Sales: Retail operations at Oklahoma History Center Museum Store and research center gift shops.
5. Facility Rentals: Venue rentals at Oklahoma History Center and other sites for private events, weddings, and meetings.
6. Government Grants: Federal funding through National Park Service, US Department of the Interior for State Historic Preservation Office activities and historic preservation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) is a nonprofit state agency that collects, preserves, and shares the history of Oklahoma and its people. It operates more than 25 museums and historic sites statewide, anchored by the Oklahoma History Center, and delivers educational programs, publications, digital archives, podcasts, and online exhibits for the general public, educators, and researchers.

Product overview

The Oklahoma Historical Society operates a network of 25 museums, historic sites, and heritage centers across Oklahoma, serving as the state's primary historical preservation and education organization. The core offering is the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City, an 18-acre, 215,000-square-foot Smithsonian Affiliate facility accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. This is supplemented by geographically distributed sites including battlefields (Honey Springs, Cabin Creek), forts (Fort Gibson, Fort Towson, Fort Supply), historic homes (Fred Drummond Home, Overholser Mansion, Hunter's Home), museums (Route 66, Pioneer Woman, Tom Mix, Will Rogers), and archaeological centers (Spiro Mounds). The society also provides digital resources including The Gateway to Oklahoma History digital archive, The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (2,600+ entries), E-Exhibits, and A Very OK Podcast. A major upcoming addition is the OKPOP Museum in Tulsa, dedicated to Oklahoma's creative influence on popular culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oklahoma History Center and Statewide Museum Network

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Smithsonian InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOklahoma History Center is a Smithsonian Affiliate, providing reciprocal benefits for members, collaborative programming opportunities, and access to Smithsonian resources and traveling exhibits.
• Cherokee NationcoreOthersCherokee Nation provides operating support for Fort Gibson Historic Site, reflecting the site's significant role in Cherokee history including the Trail of Tears and Cherokee Nation political history.
• Atoka Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtoka Historical Society manages the Atoka Museum and Civil War Cemetery as an affiliate of the Oklahoma Historical Society.
• Chisholm Trail Museum, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChisholm Trail Museum, Inc. operates The Chisholm as an affiliate of OHS, supported by the nonprofit with assistance from OHS and Kingfisher County. Public-private partnership focused on preserving farming and ranching history.
• Cherokee Strip Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCherokee Strip Historical Society operates the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School in partnership with OHS, including the award-winning A Day at Rose Hill School living history program.
• Friends of Historic Fort SupplycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriends of Historic Fort Supply manages Fort Supply Historic Site as an affiliate of OHS following transfer from the William S. Key Correctional Facility.
• Preservation OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreservation Oklahoma, a private nonprofit dedicated to preserving Oklahoma's historic places, operates the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion as an affiliate of OHS.
• Tom Mix Museum, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Mix Museum, Inc. manages the Tom Mix Museum as an affiliate of OHS, preserving the legacy of the legendary Oklahoma-born actor.
• National Park Service (US Department of Interior)coreOthersFederal funding from National Park Service supports State Historic Preservation Office activities and historic preservation programs. National Register of Historic Places designations administered through NPS.
• OKPOP FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOKPOP Foundation successfully completed the $18 million Heart & Soul Campaign for the OKPOP Museum project in Tulsa, with state matching funds certified. Foundation leads exhibit design and museum build-out.
• North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOHS is a NARM member, granting members access to benefits at over 1,400 cultural institutions across North America.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Alliance of Museums: The American Alliance of Museums is the industry body that has accredited the Oklahoma History Center. It functions as a peer ecosystem and standards organization rather than a competitor, but it defines the peer set in which OHS competes for credibility and funding.
• Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program (NPS): National Park Service Route 66 program is a partner more than a peer, but overlaps on Route 66 heritage interpretation and tourism through 2026 centennial programming that materially benefits OHS visitation.

Direct peers

• Indiana Historical Society: Indiana Historical Society operates the Indiana History Center and a statewide network of historic sites with memberships, publications, and digital archives - a near-perfect structural and operational analog to OHS, including similar membership tiers and Smithsonian-style public history mission.
• Ohio History Connection: Ohio History Connection (formerly Ohio Historical Society) operates a multi-site museum and preservation network across Ohio with membership, grants, and educational programs, making it one of the closest operational comparables for OHS's network-based model.
• Minnesota Historical Society: Minnesota Historical Society runs a comparable statewide network of historic sites, museums, and a flagship history center, with membership programs, publications, and educational outreach. It is a frequently cited comparable for state-level historical society operations and scale.
• Missouri Historical Society: Missouri Historical Society runs the Missouri History Museum and Library Research Center with membership, exhibitions, and educational programming, comparable in scale and mid-size state-level mission.
• Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission: Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission operates the largest state-owned and operated historic site network in the U.S., providing a scale and state-agency structure highly comparable to OHS's 25+ site portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: Colonial Williamsburg is a large private nonprofit operating a multi-site living history destination with membership, educational programs, and retail, comparable in scale and operating model but at higher tourism intensity.
• National Archives and Records Administration: National Archives operates federal-level archives and educational programming that overlap with OHS's archival, genealogy, and research mission, though it operates at federal scale and does not compete for the same membership base.
• Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian operates the national museum complex and the Affiliations program of which OHS is a member. It is not a direct competitor but functions as the umbrella brand and standards-setter with overlapping content, exhibits, and membership benefits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/okhistory
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@forttowsonhistoricsite8968
• Facebookfacebook.com/OklahomaHistoricalSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/okhistory

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma Historical Society