There’s something electric stirring in the heart of the Tulsa Arts District. It’s not just the pulse of downtown revitalization; it’s the rhythm of creativity, culture and community converging in the form of OKPOP. Dedicated to the creative spirit of Oklahoma’s people and the influence of Oklahoma artists on popular culture around the world, the museum is intended to spotlight an array of Oklahoma celebrities, from musicians like Blake Shelton, The Flaming Lips, The Gap Band and Reba McEntire to stage and screen stars like Alfre Woodard, Kristin Chenoweth and Olivia Munn.
After years of planning, passionate advocacy and public-private collaboration, OKPOP is moving closer to its long-awaited next phase: design and build-out. With new acquisitions, landmark funding announcements and renewed momentum at the state Capitol, the project has captured the attention of creatives, community leaders and champions of culture across Oklahoma and beyond.
A vision
OKPOP Museum is not your typical museum. It’s designed to be an immersive, experiential destination that honors Oklahoma’s deep legacy in music, film, television, literature and more while sparking the imaginations of tomorrow’s creators.
“We want OKPOP to be a museum unlike anything you’ve ever experienced,” said Jake Krumwiede, executive director of OKPOP. “We aren’t just a place that will share the history of Oklahoma’s creativity. We want to inspire the next generation of musicians, filmmakers, writers and artists.”
That vision is becoming tangible, thanks in part to a growing wave of support from the public and private sectors. The OKPOP Foundation recently launched its “Heart & Soul” fundraising campaign, aiming to secure the resources needed to fully realize the museum’s immersive, hands-on exhibits and public programming.
“We are so excited about all of the momentum and support swirling for OKPOP with creatives, funders, community leaders and at the Legislature,” said Abby Kurin, managing director of OKPOP Foundation. “Every time I take someone new to tour our space and see the vision of what OKPOP can be, I just get so excited to meet our fundraising goal and move into the design and build-out phase.”
Cultural home
From Will Rogers to Garth Brooks and Wanda Jackson to S.E. Hinton, Oklahoma has long been a wellspring of talent that has shaped pop culture on a global scale. OKPOP aims to celebrate that legacy while building bridges between generations and communities.
One of the museum’s most exciting recent developments is the acquisition of the Larry Schaefer Collection, a treasure trove of materials chronicling decades of Oklahoma’s live music scene. From contracts and posters to backstage passes and photography, the collection is a vivid snapshot of the state’s cultural evolution and a tribute to Schaefer’s influence as a concert promoter and music advocate.
The Schaefer Collection also includes Tommy Allsup’s 1958 Fender Stratocaster. Born in Owasso, Oklahoma, Allsup was a prolific session musician and record producer. But perhaps most notably, he was a member of Buddy Holly’s band in 1958 and 1959. This 1958 Fender Stratocaster was one of two given by Fender to Buddy Holly and his lead guitarist, Allsup, in early spring 1958. The guitar was used by Allsup on hit Buddy Holly recordings like “It’s So Easy” and was also used on the final Winter Dance Party tour. In the early morning hours of Feb. 3, 1959, Tommy Allsup lost a coin flip, losing his seat on the chartered plane to Ritchie Valens. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed, killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. This is the guitar that survived “the day the music died.”
Earlier this year, OKPOP also unveiled a collection of personal artifacts belonging to actor Cleavon Little, best known for his iconic role in Blazing Saddles. These pieces — from original scripts to personal correspondence — will help tell the broader story of Black artists in Hollywood and their ties to Oklahoma.
These acquisitions, along with previously announced collections from luminaries like Leon Russell, Roy Clark and The Gap Band, are setting the stage for OKPOP to become one of the most distinctive and dynamic cultural institutions in the country.
Creative block
Despite wide support, the museum has hit one hurdle after another. Since breaking ground in 2019, the project has seemed to stall several times. It was first delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The group submitted a request to the Legislature for $20 million in state American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but that request was never voted on. Late in the 2024 session, the successful passage of Senate Bill 1155 created a revolving fund to hold $18 million for OKPOP.
Despite the bill being signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt in June 2024, the hits kept coming. In July 2024, several long-time staffers were laid off due to delays in getting the museum open. The optics of the layoffs led many to believe the project was dead in the water. Although that was not the case, the press coverage and social media rehashing of the layoffs had an impact on public perception of the project’s viability.
Community momentum
In March, Oklahoma House Bill 2673, a key piece of legislation supporting the completion of OKPOP, passed the House with overwhelming support. Authored by Speaker Kyle Hilbert, the bill moved OKPOP significantly closer to unlocking an $18 million state matching grant by making two significant changes. Multiyear pledges now count toward the fundraising goal, meaning OKPOP would not need its full $18 million in cash up front. The other change makes more gifts eligible: Contributions made anytime after May 2021 would qualify as part of the raised funds.
The bill passed in the Senate in mid-May and is awaiting signature by the governor. The provision will increase the total raised by the foundation to $14.83 million — roughly 82% of the goal. This will leave only $3.17 million remaining to raise, and the foundation has stated it already has $2.4 million in proposals submitted and under review.
It finally seems the long-anticipated museum, which built so much momentum — not to mention 40,000 items for its collection — has just a few more hurdles before becoming a reality.
The museum is not simply about reflecting on Oklahoma’s creative past or preserving the significant contributions of Oklahomans to the world. Rather, the museum’s champions, funders and founders believe a visit to this cultural hub will inspire the next generations of Oklahoma’s storytellers, musicians, actors and more. It’s easy to imagine a young creative wandering through the expansive space, letting their mind wander as they think of all those who have come before them and all that might be possible, if only they just believe.
Learn more about OKPOP and how you can support the museum at okpop.org.
Author’s Note
On May 19, 2025, HB2673 passed. The bill, which enjoyed strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, allows multi-year pledges and contributions dating back to May 2021 to count toward an $18M state match for OKPOP.
These changes bring OKPOP fundraising efforts to $14.83M (82%) of the goal. Of the $3.17M remaining to meet the state match, The OKPOP Foundation has $2M in proposals currently under consideration ahead of the November deadline.
