Looking for things to do in Tulsa? Whether you live here or you’re in town for a few days, there’s more going on than most people realize. This is my big list: parks, museums, music venues, local food, and a lot of stuff that doesn’t cost a dime.
I first put this list together in 2016. This year I went back through every entry, took out the places that have closed, and updated the rest.
Heads up: Gilcrease Museum is closed while its new building goes up. It’s slated to reopen in spring 2027, and it’ll go back on this list when it does.
Bringing kids along? I’ve got a separate list of things to do in Tulsa with kids.
The Golden Driller
Hardhat, gloves, and 76 feet tall. He leans on an oil derrick at Expo Square, looking south over 21st Street between Yale and Harvard. It’s free to walk up and get a picture, and you haven’t really been to Tulsa until you have.
Philbrook Museum of Art
Great art inside, and the gardens out back are worth the trip on their own. If you want a calm afternoon, this is it. Philbrook is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so plan around that.
Tulsa Zoo
Over 400 species on 84 acres at the north edge of town, inside Mohawk Park on 36th Street North. The newer African Wilds area is worth seeing. Heads up: the zoo is cashless now and charges for parking.
Oklahoma Aquarium
Right across the Arkansas River from Tulsa in Jenks, with easy access off the Creek Turnpike. Thousands of animals, and the bull shark tunnel is still one of the coolest things you’ll walk through anywhere. Open every day.