See one of Oklahoma’s most congested traffic corridors in this drone footage
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is set begin improvements on Interstate 40 bridges over Meridian Avenue and MacArthur Boulveard.
Business Insider has named an Oklahoma City landmark as the coolest building in the state.
The publication considered diverse architecture across all states in the U.S., and selected buildings that have qualities like elegance and uniqueness.
In Oklahoma, the First Americans Museum was selected as a “cool and striking” tourist attraction in the state.
Business Insider noted that some of the buildings they selected are grandiose and elegant, while others are quirky and unique. Here’s what the publication had to say about their pick for Oklahoma.
Symbolism shines with First Americans Museum
In its description, Business Insider highlighted two of the 175,000-square-foot building’s several details that pay homage to the history of Oklahoma’s indigenous populations.
The first symbolic quality mentioned is the focus on the rising and setting sun.
“The design is inspired by the importance placed on the rising and setting sun by Native populations, with the Remembrance Walls being aligned with the sunrise,” the Business Insider article reads.
James Pepper Henry, director emeritus for the FAM, said most tribal dwellings face east to orient toward the morning sun, and the museum follows that tradition. The two rising walls at the entrance are built from Mesquabuck stone.
“When the sun rises to the east, it catches that morning light and there’s this beautiful glow to the entrance of our museum,” Henry said in a video on FAM’s YouTube channel.
FAM’s half-dome was also noted in the article. The ten columns in the Hall of the People support the dome, and together, they symbolize the 10 miles per day that Native Americans walked during their removal from their homeland.
History of the building
Construction on the FAM started in 2006, but was halted in 2012 due to funding challenges, according to the National Endowment for the Humanities. It resumed in 2019 after the formation of a new partnership and opened in September 2021.
The museum is intended to be an opportunity to experience the histories of 39 First American Nations in the state today.
FAM is also part of a larger development of attractions, which is now called Oklahoma City’s Horizons District. The area encompassing 180 acres along the Oklahoma River includes the museum, newly-opened OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark and plans for more additions in the future.
