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This single-gallery presentation looks at how works from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s collection and key loans carry stories, from familiar literary subjects to scenes whose meanings are left open.
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
The useful question in Storytelling in Art is not just what a picture shows, but how its figures and setting shape what a viewer can read into it. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s gallery spans religious and mythic subjects, history, literature and everyday life, including both works drawn from existing stories and invented scenes.
The museum sets familiar subjects beside a range of artistic approaches. Some works take their starting point from literature; others present fictional scenes, with meaning suggested by the figures’ gestures and how they relate to their surroundings.
That premise offers a way into the gallery without assuming every image tells a story in the same fashion. A recognizable title or subject can point toward a source; the placement of figures and details in the setting can add, complicate or leave open what happens.
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The museum’s published image credits name Luca Giordano’s *Rest on the Flight into Egypt* (detail, ca. 1660), Doel Reed’s *Contemplation* (ca. 1940) and Francis Hayman’s *The Storm Scene in ‘King Lear’* (mid-1760s). Their titles point to distinct kinds of subject: a religious narrative, an open-ended meditation and a scene tied to Shakespeare.
The credits identify Giordano’s oil painting as belonging to a private collection. Reed’s oil on canvas is credited to OKCMOA as a gift of the Estate of Lela O’Toole (1995.008); Hayman’s oil on canvas is also credited to the museum, purchased with funds provided by Angie Hester (2001.011). The museum’s credits are not a date-specific checklist of what visitors will see, so contact OKCMOA if a particular work is central to your plans.
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OKCMOA lists Storytelling in Art from Sept. 7, 2024, through Dec. 26, 2027. Museum hours are Wednesday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday noon–5 p.m. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday and on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. These are museum hours; separate gallery hours are not listed.
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Admission is $19.95 plus tax for adults; $17.95 plus tax for seniors 62 and older and college students; and $12.95 plus tax for active-duty and retired military. Members and children 17 and under are admitted free. On the second Sunday of each month, Access for All provides free museum admission to visitors of any age.
Other offers have their own conditions: Blue Star Museums provides free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, from Armed Forces Day in May through Labor Day. On the first full weekend of each month, a visitor with an active Bank of America, Merrill or Bank of America Private Bank debit or credit card and valid photo ID may receive one free general admission.
The museum participates in NARM and ROAM reciprocal membership programs. OKCMOA’s FAQ says NARM benefits do not apply to members whose home institution is within 15 miles, including members of Oklahoma Contemporary and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
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The museum says advance reservations are not required; tickets can be obtained at the Admissions Desk, and visitors may show a ticket on a mobile device or bring a printed copy. Large bags and backpacks cannot go into galleries. Lockers are available in the coat room for 25 cents; if you need an exception for a medical reason, speak with staff at the Admissions Desk.
Food and drinks are not allowed in galleries but are welcome on floor landings and in the Family Space. Photography is allowed in galleries, without flash, tripods or other photography equipment.
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All museum entrances and public spaces are wheelchair accessible; there is a ramp near admissions and elevators on each level. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Manual wheelchairs and rolling walkers are available at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Designated accessible parking on Couch Drive in front of the museum is free for up to two hours.
Free Sensory Booster Packs include items such as noise-canceling headphones, wiggle seats, fidgets and social narratives. A quiet space is available for visitors who need a break. Service dogs are welcome, and one companion is admitted free for each visitor with a disability. Large-print labels are available at gallery entrances.
For additional planning, the museum can arrange a sighted guide with three weeks’ notice, ASL interpretation for programs and exhibition tours with at least three weeks’ notice, and a tailored Access Tour with at least four weeks’ notice. Contact the Admissions Desk at 405-278-8237 or [email protected] about accommodations. The free Bloomberg Connects guide includes artwork labels, visual descriptions, audio, multiple languages, virtual tours and a museum map.
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Strollers are welcome when pushed by an adult, and the Admissions Desk lends them at no charge. Nursing is welcome in public spaces; a private nursing space is available. Changing tables are in public restrooms except on the Mezzanine.
The museum encourages questions and conversation in galleries. Children may bring a sketch pad and regular pencil for drawing or writing; pens are not allowed for that activity. Visitors should not touch the art or surrounding walls, run, or cross the black lines on gallery floors. Children should not be carried on shoulders or on an adult’s back.
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The museum is at 415 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. OKCMOA’s Visiting FAQ says the building is across the street from the OKC Streetcar’s Library stop.
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The museum parking lot is directly north of the building, on the northwest corner of Hudson and Robert S. Kerr. Published rates are $6 for 30 minutes, $9 for one hour, $13 for two hours and $17 for eight hours Monday through Friday until 6 p.m.; from Friday at 6 p.m. through Sunday, rates are $6 for two hours, $8 for four hours and $13 for eight hours. The museum says rates may change for events. Designated accessible parking on Couch Drive is separate from the lot and is free for up to two hours.
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No separate session time is listed. The museum describes it as a single-gallery presentation; use the museum’s operating hours to plan your visit.
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Yes. Advance reservations are not required, and the Admissions Desk accepts walk-up visitors. Printed tickets and tickets displayed on a mobile device are accepted.
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The credits identify works associated with the presentation but are not a date-specific display checklist. Contact OKCMOA if you are planning around a particular work.
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415 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
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Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-11-02 against the linked sources.