Philbrook Museum of Art Tulsa: Exhibits, Gardens & Visitor Guide

The villa is part of the visit

Architect Edward Buehler Delk designed Villa Philbrook for oilman Waite Phillips. The house was completed in 1927, and Philbrook opened as a museum in 1939 after the Phillips family’s gift of the property.

Look at the building as you move between galleries. The former home gives the museum a different setting from a purpose-built exhibition hall, while later additions provide space for the wider collection. Leave time to enjoy the architecture as well as the art.

Collections and temporary exhibitions

Philbrook’s collection focuses on modern and contemporary American, Native American and European art. A collection is larger than what can be displayed at once, so choose a few galleries that interest you rather than looking for every work you have seen online.

Current temporary exhibitions include Roadside Abstractions: Route 66 & American Modernism and Everything We Dream: Native Abstraction, both listed through January 3, 2027. The Roads They Are A-Changin’: Oklahoma and American Car Culture is also listed through that date.

Those are temporary shows, not permanent installations. Check the exhibition directory for your visit date, especially if a particular show is the reason you are coming.

Make time for the gardens

The formal gardens extend the villa’s architectural lines into terraces, a grotto and a mirror pond, with wooded areas farther out. The Westby Sculpture Walk adds works of art to the grounds.

Use the museum and garden map to choose a route that suits your group. You can make the outdoor portion a shorter walk or spend more time with the landscape. Stay on the paths in the East Formal Gardens.

A garden visit is included in general admission. If you want to picnic, use the museum’s permitted areas and follow its food and equipment rules; food and drinks do not belong in the galleries.

Admission and planning your day

Current general admission is listed at $22 for adults and $10 for ages 3–17, with members and children two and under admitted free. The museum also lists discounts, including a Friday-after-5 option. Read the terms for the ticket you choose, since an evening ticket is not an all-day arrival ticket.

Advance reservations are recommended but not required for general admission. Check the calendar separately for tours, films and special programs. Friday’s later closing can give you more time, though outdoor plans still depend on daylight and weather.

Parking, access and useful facilities

Philbrook offers free parking in two lots beside the front entrance. For a stair-free arrival, the museum directs visitors with limited mobility to the upper-level parking deck; passenger drop-off is available at the main doors.

The galleries and much of the gardens are accessible. Ask staff about the route you want to take outdoors. The museum also lists wheelchair and walker loans, accessible restrooms, hearing assistance and sensory tools among its visitor services.

The cafe and guest lounge give you places to take a break. Check cafe service hours separately from museum hours, especially if you are planning a late-Friday meal.

Add a meal or another Tulsa stop

Cherry Street offers a separate shopping and dining outing in Midtown. For a family trip, Discovery Lab and Gathering Place provide a very different kind of day from the galleries. Pick the combination that interests your group and leave time to travel between locations.

Find Philbrook

Before you head out

Questions, answered