We started out at the beautiful Philbrook Museum of Art. The Philbrook was originally a private 72-room mansion built in 1927, then gifted to the City of Tulsa to be used as an art center only eleven years later. The permanent collections cover a wide range of African, American, European, and Asian art, plus a large exhibit of Native American art. However, what makes the Philbrook really special is that the building itself is just as magnificent. It's almost hard to believe that this was a private residence at one time.
The grounds encompass 23 acres of gardens, sculptures, bridges, and pathways. Unfortunately, the weather was cold and blustery and walking around outside didn't appeal to either the husband or I. We did step out briefly on the veranda to get a quick picture of the back of the mansion.
I didn't take a lot of pictures of the actual art (cameras never really do it justice), however here are a few of the sculptures and paintings that caught my eye (the last one was part of a temporary exhibit about simplicity in design).
Some of the most gorgeous sights in the downtown Tulsa area are the Art Deco buildings. They pop up along the city sky line, beautiful in their lines and geometric shapes. I'd be driving, then pull over suddenly into a parking lot or side street to get a closer look. Not only are there classic Art Deco buildings, but other grand architectural styles as well. Here are the Boston Avenue Church, Holy Family Cathedral, a pair of lovely skyscrapers, and the First Christian Church.
The Tulsa Historical Society & Museum was next on the list. The building was originally built as a residence in 1919, was purchased by the Historical Society in the late 1990s, then eventually was renovated and turned into a museum. The exhibits were lots of fun! Snapshots of life in Tulsa, from clothing, to Frankoma pottery, to architecture. I especially liked the Nifty Fifties display!
Even though it had been quite a day of art, I wanted to at least drop by the other major art museum in Tulsa: the Gilcrease Museum. The Gilcrease focuses on American art and history, especially that of the American West and Native Americans.
After a day of fine art, it was time for a bit of artistic brewing! We visited the Prairie Artisan Ales brewery to sit and try a lovely brew or two. We didn't linger for as long as we originally planned due to the weather (it was pretty nippy to sit outside), but the beer was lovely!
After the brewery, we decided on the Kilkenny's Irish Pub for dinner. (Again, the husband and I never turn down an Irish pub!) The building itself was in the very busy Cherry Street district. For a while I despaired of actually getting seated (they were having real issues with reservations that night), but soon we had menus in our hands.
Over a glass of Glenfiddich (for me) and a beer (for him), we shared the Oysters Shamrockafeller. I opted for the Traditional Irish Breakfast (which is what I often use as my benchmark for Irish restaurants). We even left room to share a lovely Creme Brulee for dessert.
Happy (and full), we headed back to the hotel! We'd be leaving Tulsa the next day, although there was still a bit more road trip to be had before heading back to Denton.
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