The Gardens at Gilcrease Museum

Using the Gilcrease collections as a guide, theme gardens have been developed on 23 of the Museum's 460 acres. The Pre-Columbian, Pioneer, Colonial, Victorian, and the Rock gardens enhance the Museum's collections by reflecting gardening styles and techniques from the American West. Gilcrease is the only known art museum to have these educational and inspirational gardens on one site.

Special care of the grounds began with the Museum's founder, Thomas Gilcrease, who encouraged the growth of native plants, and introduced numerous exotic specimens including the Southern magnolia. Today, The University of Tulsa maintains these magnificent grounds as part of its agreement with the City of Tulsa to manage the Museum's operations.

Nestled in the Osage Hills, the historic theme gardens are a wonderful component of the total experience of visiting Gilcrease Museum.

Gilcrease Museum's outside gardens and park areas are open 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Garden tours for groups or organizations are available by appointment during the museum's regular business hours. Please email gilcrease-tours@utulsa.edu at least three weeks in advance.

Public tours of the Gilcrease Gardens are given Saturdays in spring and fall (May, June, September and October). The tour typically lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour and visitors are free to come and go. Tours are led by Garden Guides who receive educational training as they volunteer at Gilcrease. The Garden Guide will discuss the historical aspects of each garden and how it relates to the museum's collection. Reservations are not required for these tours. Guest should meet their Garden Guide at the main entrance of the museum at 11:00 a.m.

Gardens

• Patricia Wheeler Rock Garden
• Rosemary Titus Reynolds Victorian Garden
• Gillies Garden
• Friendship Garden
• Byron and Audray Boone Grove
• Garland Kilmer Colonial Garden
• Gannaway Vista Garden
• Stuart Park
• Pioneer Garden
• Pre-Columbian Garden
• Senators Walk

Major Donors to the Gardens at Gilcrease

The Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation; The Mervin Bovaird Foundation; City of Tulsa; Bovaird Supply Company; The John Steele Zink Foundation; Mr. & Mrs. Walter H. Helmerich, III; Harold & Joan Stuart; Patricia W. Wheeler; Tulsa Park & Recreation Department; The Williams Companies Foundation, Inc.; Thomas Gilcrease Museum Association; C.W. Titus Foundation; Lucia & Travis Freeman; J.W. Kilmer; Charles B. Gannaway, Jr.; Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Wiemann; Florence & Howard G. Barnett; Phillips Petroleum Foundation, Inc.; Tulsa World; Sarkeys Foundation; Dr. & Mrs. Dan Brannin; Planning Design Group, Jim Crosby, ASLA; H. A. & Mary K. Chapman Foundation