The Greenwood Rising Museum in downtown Tulsa is celebrating its fifth anniversary by welcoming visitors, offering educational programs, and hosting free monthly admission for Oklahoma residents.
Brooke Cox | February 5, 2026
The Greenwood Rising Museum in downtown Tulsa is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, highlighting the city’s Black history and the legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The museum has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors since opening in 2019, offering both locals and tourists a chance to engage with a pivotal chapter in American history.
Visitors From Around the World
Since opening, the museum has hosted nearly 170,000 visitors from across the globe, said museum Executive Director Raymond Doswell.
“A majority of them do come from the Oklahoma, Texas area. We’ve been very excited to include this history for a lot of people,” he said.
Doswell noted the museum’s educational partnerships, including programs with Tulsa Public Schools that bring about 2,000 eighth graders each year. Visitors also include local law enforcement recruits and touring performers from the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.
Celebrities have occasionally visited as well.
“They made a point to come down in a break in filming and take a look at Greenwood Rising and learn a lot about that,” Doswell said, referring to actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
He added that their visits coincided with the historical timeline of the Osage Reign of Terror, which occurred around the same week as the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Connecting History With the Community
The museum aims to present an honest, inclusive account of Tulsa’s history. Doswell said many visitors are learning the story for the first time.
“People are waking up to the story,” he said. “Again, I interact with a lot of folks from outside of Tulsa who are really engaging this story for the first time and understanding… the importance and significance of Tulsa to Black history in particular.”
The impact of the exhibits is often profound, particularly for local residents.
“Almost every Tulsan that I’ve encountered… have the very same reaction that you had because they didn’t feel like they learned the story in their youth,” Doswell said.
He added that understanding this history is especially meaningful for law enforcement officers working in North Tulsa.
Merchandise and Free Fridays
Greenwood Rising also offers a selection of merchandise and books for visitors. Doswell said many guests appreciate taking home mementos to remember their visit.
Starting Feb. 13, the museum will offer “Freedom Fridays,” providing free admission for Oklahoma residents each month through December, thanks to sponsorship from TTCU. Doswell said the 5th anniversary year will include new programming and a celebration tentatively scheduled for Aug. 8 at the Hyatt in Tulsa.