Oklahoma Territorial Museum

The Oklahoma Territorial Museum in Guthrie tells the story of the territory that existed before Oklahoma statehood and of the city that served as its capital. The museum stands beside the historic Carnegie Library, where statehood ceremonies were held in 1907, giving the site a direct connection to the transition from territory to state. Exhibits cover the land runs, territorial government, settlement, transportation, politics and the growth of Guthrie. The museum is especially valuable for placing famous events into sequence: the opening of lands, creation of towns and counties, debates over statehood and the rivalry that eventually moved the capital to Oklahoma City. The neighboring Carnegie Library adds architectural and civic context. Visitors can see how public institutions developed alongside the new government and how quickly Guthrie transformed from a land-run town into a sophisticated capital city. For anyone exploring downtown Guthrie, the museum provides the historical framework that makes the surrounding Victorian commercial district far easier to understand.