Gilcrease Museum – Haunted Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Gilcrease Museum stands as one of Tulsa’s most prestigious cultural institutions. But beneath its refined exterior lies a darker history filled with unexplained phenomena.

Visitors and staff members have reported strange occurrences for decades. The museum’s collection of Native American artifacts may hold more than historical significance.

Thomas Gilcrease himself built this legacy on sacred ground. Some believe the spirits connected to these artifacts never truly left.

The museum houses over 10,000 artworks and 250,000 cultural artifacts. Many items come from burial sites and battlefields across North America.

Paranormal researchers consider this location one of Oklahoma’s most actively haunted sites. The combination of ancient objects and tragic history creates perfect conditions for hauntings.

Historical Background

Thomas Gilcrease founded the museum in 1949 on his personal estate. He was a wealthy oil baron of Creek Nation heritage.

The original building opened to the public in 1958. Gilcrease had spent decades collecting Native American art and historical documents.

The property sits on land that once belonged to the Creek Nation. Treaties forced the Creek people to relocate here during the Trail of Tears.

Thousands of Native Americans died during this forced migration in the 1830s. Their suffering left an indelible mark on this region.

Thomas Gilcrease died in 1962 at age 72. Many staff members claim he never truly left his beloved museum.

The museum underwent major renovations in 1987 and again in 2014. Construction workers reported disturbing encounters during both renovation periods.

Archaeological surveys revealed burial sites on the surrounding grounds. Some artifacts in the collection came from these very locations.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Security guards report shadow figures moving through the galleries after closing time. These shapes appear most frequently in the Native American collection rooms.

Unexplained footsteps echo through empty hallways during night shifts. The sounds seem to follow a specific path through the building.

Museum staff frequently experience sudden temperature drops in certain exhibition areas. These cold spots appear without any logical explanation.

Display cases have been found mysteriously opened despite being locked overnight. Security footage shows no evidence of human tampering.

Visitors often report feeling watched while viewing particular artifacts. Some describe an overwhelming sense of sadness in specific galleries.

Electronic devices malfunction regularly in certain sections of the museum. Cameras drain batteries instantly in the Northwest Coast collection area.

Docents have heard whispered conversations in languages they cannot identify. Linguistic experts suggest these may be extinct Native American dialects.

Objects occasionally move on their own according to multiple witness accounts. Small items shift positions overnight despite locked rooms.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Thomas Gilcrease himself is the most frequently reported apparition at the museum. Staff members describe seeing an elderly man in 1950s-era clothing.

He appears most often in the library where his personal collection resides. Witnesses say he seems to be inspecting the books and documents.

One security guard named Michael Patterson encountered the apparition in 2008. He described the figure as solid and lifelike until it vanished.

The spirit of a young Native American woman haunts the pottery collection. She wears traditional Creek Nation clothing from the early 1800s.

Multiple visitors have photographed an unexplained mist surrounding a specific ceremonial dress. The dress belonged to a Creek woman who died during relocation.

Museum director Sarah Martinez documented strange occurrences in her 2015 journal. She described hearing children laughing in the empty education wing.

A janitor named Robert Chen reported seeing toy blocks spelling words. The blocks were part of a historical education display.

The words appeared to be warnings in the Creek language. Translators confirmed they said “Return what was taken” repeatedly.

Portrait subjects seem to follow viewers with their eyes throughout the American West gallery. One painting of a Comanche chief particularly unsettles visitors.

A docent named Linda Thompson watched the portrait’s expression change during her shift. She insists the painted face shifted from neutral to angry.

The museum’s collection includes items from the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. Staff avoid working alone near these particular artifacts.

A researcher named Dr. James Whitfield experienced physical contact near the massacre display. He felt unseen hands push him away from the case.

The spirit of a Confederate soldier appears in the Civil War collection room. He wears a tattered uniform and appears to be searching for something.

Security footage from 2019 captured strange anomalies near a Civil War battle flag. The flag appeared to ripple despite climate-controlled conditions.

Most Haunted Spot

The Northwest Coast Native American gallery experiences the most paranormal activity. This room houses sacred ceremonial masks and burial items.

Staff members refuse to enter this gallery alone after dark. Three different employees have quit after experiencing terrifying encounters here.

A maintenance worker named David Garcia saw a full-bodied apparition in 2017. The figure wore a traditional Tlingit ceremonial robe and headdress.

The storage basement beneath the main building ranks as the second most haunted location. Temperature readings show impossible fluctuations of 30 degrees within seconds.

Archived artifacts from burial sites are kept in this basement area. Psychic medium Rebecca Stone identified at least seven distinct spiritual presences there.

Can You Visit?

The Gilcrease Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday. The facility closes on Mondays except for major holidays.

General admission costs $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Children under 18 enter free with a paying adult.

Regular operating hours run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The museum extends hours until 8:00 PM on Thursdays.

Standard guided tours are available daily at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. These tours focus on art history rather than paranormal activity.

Photography is permitted in most galleries without flash. Some temporary exhibitions prohibit photography entirely.

The museum does not offer official paranormal tours at this time. Staff members discourage visitors from asking about ghost sightings.

Special research access to storage areas requires advance permission. The museum rarely grants access to the basement storage facilities.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity increases significantly during October and November according to staff records. These months correspond with traditional Native American ceremonial periods.

Late afternoon hours between 4:00 PM and closing show heightened spiritual activity. Security teams document more unexplained incidents during these times.

Thursday evening extended hours provide the best opportunity for sensitive visitors. Fewer crowds allow for better perception of subtle paranormal phenomena.

The winter solstice period brings particularly intense supernatural occurrences. Staff members report the highest number of strange incidents during December.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Museum curator Dr. Elizabeth Morrison documented her experiences in a 2016 internal report. She described hearing drumming sounds when the building was completely empty.

The sounds matched traditional Creek ceremonial rhythms according to cultural experts. No source for the drumming was ever identified.

Volunteer coordinator Janet Rodriguez keeps a private log of paranormal incidents. Her records span 12 years and contain over 200 documented encounters.

She describes seeing the same elderly gentleman spirit at least 15 times. Other staff members have confirmed her descriptions match Thomas Gilcrease.

Security officer Marcus Johnson captured audio recordings in 2018. The recordings contain clear voices speaking in what linguists identify as Muscogee Creek.

The voices discuss items that were stolen from their rightful owners. Translation reveals accusations about specific artifacts in the collection.

Visitor Amanda Chen submitted a detailed account to paranormal research groups in 2020. She photographed an unexplained figure standing beside her daughter.

The figure appeared as a translucent woman in traditional Native clothing. Multiple photography experts confirmed the image showed no signs of manipulation.

Art conservator William Barrett experienced physical phenomena while working on a restoration project. Tools repeatedly moved from his workstation despite being alone.

He watched a paintbrush slide across a table and fall to the floor. Security cameras confirmed no one else was present in the room.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Oklahoma Paranormal Research Society investigated the museum in 2013. They documented significant electromagnetic field fluctuations in multiple galleries.

Lead investigator Karen Williams recorded EVP sessions throughout the building. Analysis revealed voices responding to questions in Native American languages.

The group’s thermal imaging cameras detected human-shaped cold spots moving through rooms. These anomalies maintained consistent temperatures of 20 degrees below ambient.

A 2017 investigation by Tulsa Ghost Hunters yielded compelling photographic evidence. Multiple investigators captured identical shadow figures in different locations simultaneously.

Their equipment registered unexplained power drains near ceremonial artifact displays. Fully charged batteries died within minutes in these specific areas.

Psychic medium Rebecca Stone conducted a walkthrough in 2019. She identified residual energy from traumatic events attached to burial objects.

Stone described seeing visions of forced relocation and family separations. She reported feeling overwhelming grief near items from the Trail of Tears.

Independent researcher Dr. Philip Morrison published findings in Paranormal Studies Quarterly. His paper documented correlations between artifact acquisitions and activity increases.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

Visitors must stay within designated public areas at all times. Unauthorized entry into storage or administrative sections is strictly prohibited.

The museum property closes promptly at 5:00 PM except Thursdays. Trespassing after hours results in immediate police involvement.

Photography restrictions must be observed in marked galleries. Violating these rules may result in removal from the premises.

The grounds include uneven terrain and natural areas with potential hazards. Visitors should stay on marked pathways throughout the estate.

Do not touch or attempt to handle any artifacts or display items. Museum security monitors all galleries with surveillance cameras.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

A specific medicine bundle from the 1830s Creek Nation generates intense paranormal activity. The bundle was taken from a medicine woman during forced relocation.

Staff members report feeling physically ill when working near this artifact. Three different employees have requested transfers to avoid this collection area.

A Comanche war shield displays unusual properties according to multiple witnesses. The shield’s painted surface appears to change patterns when unobserved.

Photography of this shield consistently fails despite proper equipment and lighting. Digital cameras produce corrupted files when focused on this item.

A collection of burial pottery from ancient Spiro Mounds sites causes disturbances. These pieces were excavated from sacred burial chambers in eastern Oklahoma.

Museum records show these items generate the most paranormal investigation requests. Sensitive individuals report hearing voices emanating from the pottery.

A Civil War-era pocket watch belonging to an unknown soldier stops at exactly 3:17. The watch functions normally until reaching this specific time.

Horologists have examined the mechanism and found no mechanical explanation. The watch resumes normal operation after being reset past 3:17.