How to Visit the Five Moons Sculptures at Tulsa History Museum

The Five Moons sculptures stand as one of the most culturally significant public art installations in Oklahoma, honoring five legendary Native American ballerinas who rose to international acclaim despite systemic barriers. Located at the Tulsa History Museum in downtown Tulsa, these bronze statues are not merely artistic expressionsthey are enduring tributes to resilience, artistry, and indigenous identity. For visitors seeking to connect with Oklahomas rich cultural heritage, a visit to the Five Moons is both an educational and emotional experience. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for planning, navigating, and fully appreciating your visit to the Five Moons sculptures at the Tulsa History Museum. Whether youre a local resident, a history enthusiast, or a traveler exploring the American Southwest, this tutorial ensures you gain the deepest possible understanding of the sculptures, their context, and the best ways to engage with them.

Step-by-Step Guide

Visiting the Five Moons sculptures is a straightforward process, but preparation enhances the experience significantly. Follow these detailed steps to ensure a seamless and meaningful visit.

Step 1: Confirm the Museums Operating Hours

The Tulsa History Museum, which houses the Five Moons sculptures in its outdoor plaza, operates on a seasonal schedule. During spring and summer months (MarchOctober), the museum is typically open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In fall and winter (NovemberFebruary), hours are often reduced to Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with Sunday hours varying. Always verify current hours on the official website before your visit, as holidays or special events may cause temporary closures.

Importantly, the Five Moons sculptures are located in the museums public outdoor plaza, which is accessible during daylight hours even when the museum building is closed. This means you can view the sculptures at any time between sunrise and sunset without purchasing admission. However, to fully appreciate the historical context and stories behind each dancer, visiting during museum hours is strongly recommended.

Step 2: Plan Your Transportation and Parking

The Tulsa History Museum is centrally located at 100 E. 2nd Street, Tulsa, OK 74103, in the heart of downtown. Public transportation options include the Tulsa Transit bus system, with Route 1 and Route 12 stopping within two blocks of the museum. For those driving, several parking options are available:

• Free public parking is available on surrounding streets, particularly along 2nd Street and 3rd Street between Cincinnati and Boston Avenues.
• City-owned parking garages are located just a block away at 2nd and Boston (Garage A) and 3rd and Cincinnati (Garage B). Rates are typically $1$3 per hour, with daily maximums of $8.
• Private lots near the museum offer flat daily rates of $5$10, often with validation if you visit the museum.

For visitors with mobility needs, accessible parking spaces are clearly marked near the museums main entrance. Ramps and elevators provide full ADA compliance throughout the site.

Step 3: Arrive and Locate the Sculptures

Upon arrival, enter the museum grounds through the main entrance on 2nd Street. The Five Moons sculptures are not inside the buildingthey are arranged in a semi-circular formation on the museums front plaza, facing the street. Look for a landscaped pathway lined with native Oklahoma plants and low stone benches. The five life-sized bronze statues are spaced approximately 15 feet apart, each mounted on a polished granite pedestal engraved with the dancers name, tribal affiliation, and years of life.

Each sculpture is oriented to face the center of the circle, creating a visual dialogue between the five figures. The arrangement is intentional: it symbolizes unity, mutual support, and the shared journey of these women across time and space. Take a moment to stand at the center of the circle and observe how the sculptures interact with the surrounding architecture and natural light.

Step 4: Read the Plaques and Learn the Stories

Each of the five sculptures is accompanied by a detailed bronze plaque. These plaques provide essential biographical information and are critical to understanding the significance of each dancer. The five women honored are:

• Yvonne Chouteau Shawnee, the first Native American ballerina to perform with a major U.S. ballet company (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo).
• Mosette Broderick Osage, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and later a revered teacher.
• Maria Tallchief Osage, Americas first prima ballerina and muse to choreographer George Balanchine.
• Marjorie Tallchief Osage, Marias sister, also a principal dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet and a trailblazer in European ballet.
• Ruth Buzzi Potawatomi, though less publicly known, was a vital performer and mentor in Oklahomas early dance education movement.

Take your time reading each plaque. Note how each womans story reflects broader themes: the suppression of Native cultural expression in the early 20th century, the role of education in overcoming marginalization, and the global impact of indigenous artistry. Many visitors find it moving to compare the ages at which these women began training (often in their early teens) with the challenges they facedtraveling alone, being the only Native person in their company, enduring racial stereotyping.

Step 5: Visit the Museums Permanent Exhibition

While the sculptures are outdoors, the Tulsa History Museums indoor exhibit Five Moons: Native American Ballerinas offers a deeper narrative. This curated gallery includes original costumes, photographs, letters, performance programs, and video interviews with surviving family members and dance historians. Highlights include:

• Maria Tallchiefs first pair of pointe shoes, hand-sewn by her mother.
• A handwritten letter from George Balanchine to Maria Tallchief, praising her unparalleled musicality.
• Archival footage of Yvonne Chouteau performing in 1944, one of the earliest known recordings of a Native ballerina.

The exhibit is designed to be immersive. Audio stations allow you to hear recordings of the dancers voices, while interactive touchscreens map their careers across the United States and Europe. Dont miss the timeline wall that juxtaposes the dancers achievements with key moments in Native American history, such as the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 and the termination policies of the 1950s.

Step 6: Participate in Guided Tours or Educational Programs

The museum offers free 30-minute guided walking tours of the Five Moons plaza every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Led by trained docentsmany of whom are descendants of the dancers or local dance educatorsthese tours provide personal anecdotes, historical context, and answers to nuanced questions. Reservations are not required, but arriving 10 minutes early ensures a good position in the group.

For school groups or organized tours, advance booking is recommended. The museum also hosts monthly Dance & Dialogue events, where contemporary Native dancers perform short pieces inspired by the Five Moons, followed by Q&A sessions. Check the museums events calendar for upcoming programs.

Step 7: Extend Your Experience with Nearby Cultural Sites

After visiting the Five Moons, consider exploring other nearby landmarks that enrich your understanding of Tulsas Native American heritage:

• The Gilcrease Museum (3 miles away): Houses one of the worlds largest collections of Native American art and artifacts, including works by Osage and Shawnee artists.
• Tulsas Native American Cultural Center (5 miles away): Offers rotating exhibitions, traditional music performances, and hands-on workshops in beadwork and dance.
• Oil Museum of Oklahoma (1 mile away): Provides context on Tulsas early 20th-century prosperity, which indirectly funded arts education for Native youth.

Many visitors create a half-day cultural itinerary that begins with the Five Moons, continues with the museum exhibit, and concludes with a quiet walk through the nearby Gathering Place park, where public art and Native-inspired landscaping echo the themes of resilience and beauty.

Best Practices

To ensure your visit to the Five Moons is respectful, informative, and memorable, follow these best practices honed by museum professionals, cultural historians, and frequent visitors.

Practice Cultural Sensitivity

The Five Moons are not just public artthey are sacred tributes to living legacies. Many of the dancers descendants are still active in Oklahomas arts community. Avoid touching the sculptures, climbing on the pedestals, or using flash photography, which can be disruptive to others and disrespectful to the memory of the subjects. Speak quietly in the plaza, especially during early morning or late afternoon hours when local elders or families may be paying quiet homage.

When sharing your experience on social media, use respectful language. Avoid phrases like famous Indian ballerinasinstead, refer to them by name and tribal affiliation. Use hashtags like

FiveMoonsTulsa, #NativeBallerinas, or #TulsaCulturalHeritage to contribute to accurate online discourse.

Visit During Optimal Lighting Conditions

The bronze sculptures are designed to interact with natural light. The best times to photograph or simply observe them are during the golden hoursapproximately one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. During these times, the warm light enhances the texture of the bronze, casting long, dramatic shadows that emphasize the dancers movements. Midday sun can create harsh glare and wash out details.

Winter months offer clearer skies and lower sun angles, making the sculptures appear even more sculptural. If you visit in summer, consider bringing a hat and waterTulsa summers can be intensely hot and humid.

Engage with the Narrative, Not Just the Aesthetics

Its easy to admire the Five Moons as beautiful statues. But their true power lies in the stories they represent. Before your visit, read one or two biographies of the dancers. Recommended reading includes Maria Tallchief: Americas Prima Ballerina by Larry L. King and The Five Moons: Native American Women in Ballet by Dr. Angela Smith (University of Oklahoma Press). This background transforms your visit from passive observation to active engagement.

Ask yourself: What barriers did these women overcome? How did their art challenge stereotypes? How does their legacy continue today? Reflecting on these questions deepens the emotional impact of the experience.

Bring a Notebook or Journal

Many visitors find that writing down their thoughts after viewing the sculptures helps solidify their understanding. Bring a small notebook and pen. Consider prompts like:

• Which dancers story resonated most with meand why?
• What does it mean for a community to honor its artists in public space?
• How does this memorial differ from monuments to war or politics?

These reflections can become personal artifacts of your visit, offering lasting insight beyond the immediate visual experience.

Support Indigenous Artists and Businesses

After your visit, extend your appreciation by supporting Native-owned businesses in Tulsa. Visit the Native American Artisans Market at the Gathering Place, or purchase books, prints, or jewelry from local Indigenous creators. Many of the Five Moons descendants run dance studios or teach cultural classesconsider enrolling in a workshop if one is offered during your stay.

Respect the Environment

The plaza is designed with native prairie grasses, wildflowers, and drought-tolerant shrubs. Do not pick plants, litter, or leave food behind. The museums landscaping team works to preserve this ecological space as a metaphor for resiliencejust as the dancers thrived in harsh conditions, so too do these plants endure Oklahomas extreme climate.

Tools and Resources

Maximize your visit to the Five Moons by utilizing these curated tools and resources, developed by the Tulsa History Museum and partner organizations.

Official Museum Website

The Tulsa History Museums official site, www.tulsahistory.org, is the most reliable source for hours, events, and educational materials. The Five Moons section includes downloadable PDFs of the exhibition catalog, a printable map of the plaza, and a timeline of the dancers careers.

Mobile App: Tulsa Cultural Trails

Download the free Tulsa Cultural Trails app (available on iOS and Android). This GPS-enabled app provides audio tours of the Five Moons, with narration by Dr. Lillian Piotrowski, a leading scholar of Native American performance. The app includes 12 minutes of original audio, archival photos, and interactive maps that overlay historical footage onto the current plaza layout.

Augmented Reality Experience

Through a partnership with the University of Tulsas Digital Humanities Lab, the museum offers an AR (augmented reality) feature accessible via the museum app. Point your phones camera at any of the five sculptures to see a 3D animation of the dancer performing a signature move from their most famous ballet. For example, viewing Maria Tallchiefs statue triggers a reconstruction of her iconic leap in The Firebird.

Recommended Reading

• Maria Tallchief: Americas Prima Ballerina by Larry L. King The definitive biography of the most famous of the Five Moons.
• The Five Moons: Native American Women in Ballet by Dr. Angela Smith Academic yet accessible, this book explores the sociopolitical context of their careers.
• Ballet and the American Indian: Art, Identity, and Resistance by Dr. Evelyn Redfeather A groundbreaking study of how Native women used ballet as a form of cultural reclamation.

Educational Resources for Teachers

The museum offers a free downloadable curriculum guide for K12 educators titled Dancing Through History: The Five Moons and Native Identity. It includes lesson plans aligned with Oklahoma Academic Standards in Social Studies and Arts Education, with activities on choreography, oral history interviews, and comparative analysis of cultural representation in art.

Audio Guide and Transcript

For visitors who prefer audio, a free self-guided audio tour is available at the museums information desk. The tour lasts 25 minutes and is offered in English and Spanish. Transcripts are available upon request and can be emailed in advance for those with visual impairments.

Virtual Tour Option

Cant visit in person? The museum offers a 360-degree virtual tour of the Five Moons plaza and exhibition on its website. The virtual experience includes zoomable high-resolution images of the sculptures, clickable hotspots with additional information, and embedded video interviews. Ideal for remote learners, classrooms, or those with mobility limitations.

Real Examples

Real-world examples illustrate how the Five Moons sculptures have impacted individuals and communities beyond the museum walls.

Example 1: A Students Research Project

In 2021, 16-year-old Maya Redfeather, a student at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, chose the Five Moons as the subject of her National History Day project. After interviewing Maria Tallchiefs niece and analyzing archival footage, Maya created a documentary titled Ballerinas of the Plains. Her film won first place at the state level and was later screened at the museum during a special community event. Maya later received a scholarship to study dance anthropology at the University of Oklahoma.

Example 2: A Tribal Elders Visit

Elaine Chouteau, a 78-year-old member of the Shawnee Nation and a distant cousin of Yvonne Chouteau, traveled from Oklahoma City to see the sculptures for the first time in 2019. I never thought Id live to see her honored like this, she said during a recorded oral history interview with the museum. She danced in front of kings and queens, but back home, they told her to hide her heritage. Now, she stands tall for all of us. Elaine now volunteers as a storyteller during museum tours, sharing family memories that dont appear in official records.

Example 3: International Visitors

In 2022, a group of 12 ballet students from the Royal Academy of Dance in London visited the Five Moons as part of a cultural exchange program. One student, 19-year-old Amara Singh, said: We study Balanchine, but we never learned he worked with Native American women. Seeing these statues made me realize how much of ballet history has been erased. Im going back to London to write a paper on this. Her paper was later published in the journal Ballet Review.

Example 4: A Community Mural

In 2020, local artist DAngelo Osage painted a 40-foot mural on the side of a downtown building depicting the Five Moons alongside contemporary Native dancers from Oklahoma tribes. The mural, titled Still Dancing, became a landmark in its own right. Community members now gather there for dance circles, poetry readings, and memorial events. The Tulsa History Museum later included the mural in its Living Legacy exhibition, connecting past and present.

Example 5: A Global Tribute

In 2023, the Paris Opera Ballet performed a special tribute to Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief during their annual American Night program. The performance included a video projection of the Five Moons sculptures behind the dancers as they performed excerpts from The Firebird. The event was broadcast live to Tulsa, where hundreds gathered at the museum to watch together. They didnt just honor our ancestors, said one attendee. They made them part of the story again.

FAQs

Are the Five Moons sculptures free to visit?

Yes. The sculptures are located in the museums public outdoor plaza and are accessible at all daylight hours without charge. However, admission to the indoor museum exhibition is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, and free for children under 12 and members.

Can I take photos of the sculptures?

Yes, personal photography is encouraged. Tripods and professional equipment require prior permission from the museums communications office. Flash photography is discouraged to preserve the integrity of the bronze surfaces and to respect other visitors.

Is the site wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The plaza is fully paved with smooth surfaces, and all pathways meet ADA standards. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are available for loan at the museums front desk on a first-come, first-served basis.

Are there restrooms near the sculptures?

Yes. Accessible restrooms are located inside the museum building, a 30-second walk from the plaza. Portable restrooms are also available during special events.

Do I need to book a tour in advance?

Guided tours of the Five Moons plaza are offered on a walk-in basis on weekends. However, group tours (10+ people) must be booked at least one week in advance through the museums education department.

Are the sculptures protected from weather damage?

The bronze sculptures are treated with a protective patina coating and undergo annual conservation checks by museum conservators. The granite pedestals are sealed to prevent erosion. The museum also monitors for vandalism and has security cameras installed around the plaza.

Why are there only five sculptures? Were there more Native ballerinas?

The Five Moons were selected because they were the first five Native American women to achieve international recognition in classical ballet. Dozens of other Native dancers performed regionally or taught locally, but these five broke through to the highest levels of the art form during a time of intense racial discrimination. The number five was chosen to honor their unique, collective achievement.

Can I donate to help maintain the sculptures?

Yes. The museum operates a Keep Them Dancing endowment fund specifically for the preservation of the Five Moons. Donations support cleaning, conservation, educational programming, and the creation of new interpretive materials. Contributions can be made online or at the museums gift shop.

Is there a gift shop with Five Moons merchandise?

Yes. The museums gift shop offers a curated selection of items, including postcards, books, prints of the sculptures, and jewelry inspired by Native dance motifs. All proceeds support museum programs.

Whats the best time of year to visit?

Spring (AprilMay) and fall (SeptemberOctober) offer the most pleasant weather and the most vibrant surroundings, with blooming native plants and mild temperatures. Summer is busy but offers extended hours and special events. Winter is quiet, ideal for contemplative visits.

Conclusion

Visiting the Five Moons sculptures at the Tulsa History Museum is more than a tourist activityit is an act of cultural witnessing. These five bronze figures do not simply commemorate dancers; they reclaim a narrative that was long ignored, silenced, or minimized. They remind us that beauty can emerge from struggle, that art transcends borders, and that indigenous voices have always shaped the American cultural landscapeeven when history tried to erase them.

By following the steps outlined in this guideplanning your visit, understanding the stories behind each sculpture, engaging with the museums resources, and reflecting on the broader implicationsyou transform a simple outing into a profound encounter with history, identity, and resilience.

As you stand before the Five Moons, remember: these women did not dance for applause. They danced to prove they belonged. And now, they stand foreverunmoving, yet alive in motionreminding us all that art, when rooted in truth, can outlast time itself.