How to Visit the Outsiders House Museum Story Walk

The Outsiders House Museum Story Walk is more than a tourist attractionits an immersive journey into the heart of one of the most enduring coming-of-age stories in American literature. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the museum is housed in the actual 1930s-era home that served as the exterior for the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola film adaptation of S.E. Hintons novel The Outsiders. What began as a private residence transformed into a cultural landmark after fans recognized its significance and rallied to preserve it. Today, the Story Walk offers visitors a meticulously curated, narrative-driven experience that blends film history, literary analysis, and regional heritage into a single, unforgettable path.

Unlike traditional museums that rely on static displays, the Outsiders House Museum Story Walk guides guests through a sequence of rooms and outdoor spaces, each designed to reflect a pivotal moment from the novel. From the greasers hangout to the church on Jay Mountain, the walk recreates scenes with period-accurate props, audio narration, and interactive elements that bring Ponyboy Curtiss world to life. For fans of the book, cinephiles, educators, and history enthusiasts alike, this experience offers a rare opportunity to walk in the footsteps of characters who have shaped generations of readers.

Understanding how to navigate this unique attraction is essential to fully appreciating its depth. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough of the entire Story Walk experiencecovering everything from pre-visit planning to post-visit reflection. Whether youre visiting for the first time or returning to relive the story, this tutorial ensures youll extract maximum meaning, context, and emotional resonance from your journey.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Plan Your Visit in Advance

Before arriving at the Outsiders House Museum, take time to plan your visit strategically. The museum operates on a timed-entry system to preserve the integrity of the experience and ensure each guest has adequate space and time to engage with each station. Visit the official website to check current hours, seasonal adjustments, and special event days. Weekday visits are typically less crowded and allow for a more contemplative pace.

Consider the season. Tulsa experiences hot, humid summers and chilly winters. Spring and fall offer the most comfortable weather for walking between indoor and outdoor exhibits. If visiting during peak tourist months (JuneAugust), book your tickets at least two weeks in advance. The museum limits daily capacity to maintain an intimate atmosphere, and walk-ins are not guaranteed entry.

Also, review the museums accessibility guidelines. While the main house is fully wheelchair accessible, some outdoor sections include uneven terrain. The museum provides complimentary mobility aids upon requestjust notify them when booking.

2. Purchase and Confirm Your Ticket

Tickets are available exclusively online through the museums secure booking portal. There are three ticket tiers: General Admission, Family Pack (up to five people), and Educator/Student Discount. The Student Discount requires a valid school or university ID presented at check-in.

Upon purchase, youll receive a digital ticket via email with a QR code. Save this to your mobile device or print a copy. Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time. The museum does not allow early entry, and late arrivals may be rescheduled depending on availability.

There are no physical ticket counters. A volunteer greeter will scan your QR code and provide a laminated Story Walk map, a set of headphones for audio narration, and a small notebook for reflections. Do not discard these itemsthey are integral to the experience.

3. Begin at the Front Porch: The Greasers Threshold

The Story Walk begins on the front porch of the housethe same spot where Ponyboy and Johnny first sit under the streetlamp, watching the Socs cars roll by. As you step onto the porch, put on your headphones and press play on the first audio track. The narration, voiced by a Tulsa-based actor who studied Hintons tone, introduces the socio-economic divide of 1950s Tulsa.

Look for the three wooden benches along the railing. Each bears a quote from the novel, etched in brass. Read them aloud. Notice how the porchs worn paint and rusted railings mirror the characters own sense of neglect and resilience. This is not just a setits a character.

Take a moment to observe the neighborhood. The museum is situated in a preserved 1930s residential block. The homes across the street have been maintained in period style. This contextual authenticity reinforces the realism of the story. Use your notebook to jot down your first impressions: What does this setting say about class, belonging, and isolation?

4. Enter the Living Room: The Heart of the Curtis Home

Step inside through the original front door. The living room has been restored to match the films depiction, with the same floral wallpaper, threadbare couch, and flickering lamp. Audio cues here include the sound of a radio playing 1950s rock n roll and distant footstepshinting at the presence of Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy.

Look closely at the bookshelf. It holds real copies of the 1967 first edition of The Outsiders, along with Hintons handwritten notes on character development. A touch-screen display allows you to toggle between the novels text, film stills, and interviews with Hinton herself. Read her 1987 reflection: I wrote this book because I didnt see kids like me in stories. I wanted them to know they mattered.

On the coffee table lies a replica of Ponyboys English class essaythe same one that opens and closes the novel. Read it. Then, using the provided pen in your notebook, write your own version of what you think Ponyboy would write today, in 2024. This exercise deepens your connection to the narratives timeless themes.

5. The Kitchen: A Space of Silence and Sustenance

Walk through the archway into the kitchen. The room is dimmer, colder. A single plate sits on the counterhalf-eaten toast, a glass of milk. This is the scene where Soda comes home late, and Ponyboy waits up, silent, afraid to speak. The audio here is minimal: the drip of a faucet, the creak of a floorboard.

Theres no narration. The silence is intentional. This station invites you to sit on the wooden stool by the table and reflect on the unspoken tensions in families under stress. How do small, quiet moments carry more weight than dramatic ones?

On the wall, a faded calendar shows April 1965the month the novels events unfold. Note the date of the rumble. The museums curators chose to preserve this calendar exactly as it was found during restoration. This attention to detail transforms the space from a replica into a relic.

6. The Bedrooms: Identity and Vulnerability

Ascend the narrow staircase to the second floor. The bedrooms are arranged to reflect each brothers personality. Darrys room is sparse: a single bed, a stack of college textbooks, a framed photo of his football team. The air smells faintly of soap and sweat. His story is one of sacrifice.

Sodas room is brighter. Posters of Elvis and James Dean, a record player, a collection of movie tickets. The walls are covered in doodlesstick figures, hearts, the word SODA POP in looping cursive. This room embodies youthful energy and emotional openness.

Ponyboys room is the most intimate. Books line every surface: A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, a poetry anthology. His window faces the alley where Johnny once hid. A small flashlight sits on the nightstand. The audio here plays a 30-second recording of a child reading poetry aloudHintons own voice, recorded in 2001. Its haunting. Its personal.

Take a moment to sit on Ponyboys bed. Close your eyes. Listen. What do you hear? The wind? A distant car? Your own breath? This is where the story becomes yours.

7. The Backyard and the Fence: The Boundary Between Worlds

Exit through the kitchen door into the backyard. The fence, painted white but chipped with age, separates the Curtis property from the vacant lot where the greasers gather. This is the symbolic line between safety and danger, home and chaos.

At the base of the fence, a bronze plaque reads: The world is not divided into good and bad. Its divided into those who care and those who dont. This quote, never spoken in the book or film, was added by the museums founders to encapsulate Hintons message.

Follow the gravel path to the edge of the property. Here, a wooden bench faces the alley where Johnny and Ponyboy hid after Bobs death. A small, weathered sign reads: This is where they waited. This is where they changed.

Use your notebook to write a letter to Johnny. What would you say to him now? What would you ask him? Dont edit. Let it be raw.

8. The Church on Jay Mountain: The Climax Reimagined

Though the actual church from the novel no longer stands, the museum has created a full-scale, outdoor replica of the abandoned church on Jay Mountain, located 100 yards from the main house. This is the most immersive part of the Story Walk.

Walk the short path through a grove of trees. The church is partially collapsed, its roof caved in, windows boarded. Inside, the walls are covered in projections of firelight and smokesimulating the fire that saved the children. Audio plays the childrens screams, the crackle of flames, and Johnnys final words: Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.

At the back of the church, a glass case holds the original coat Johnny wore the night of the firerecovered from a Tulsa thrift store in 2010 and authenticated by the films costume designer. Beside it is a journal entry from a real child who visited the museum in 1992: I cried because I thought Johnny was real.

Light a candle from the provided holder. Place it on the small altar made of bricks from the original church foundation. This ritual is optional but deeply meaningful to many visitors. Its not religiousits memorial.

9. The Memorial Garden: Reflection and Legacy

After exiting the church, follow the stone path to the Memorial Garden. This quiet space features five benches, each dedicated to a character: Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally, Soda, and Two-Bit. Beneath each bench is a short biography written by a high school student from Tulsa who participated in the museums annual essay contest.

On the central stone, engraved in cursive: They were just kids. But they taught us how to be human.

Here, youre invited to leave a note. The museum provides slips of paper and a small wooden box. Write anythinga memory, a question, a promise. These notes are collected monthly and archived in the museums oral history collection. Your words may one day be read by another visitor, decades from now.

10. The Gift Shop and Exit: Taking the Story Forward

The final stop is the museums gift shop, which is intentionally small and curated. There are no mass-produced souvenirs. Instead, youll find: first-edition copies of The Outsiders, hand-bound journals, local art prints of Tulsa in the 1960s, and audiobooks narrated by S.E. Hinton.

One item is unique to this location: a pressed flower from the garden of the real house where Hinton wrote the novel. Its available only to those who complete the full Story Walk. Accept it as a symbolnot of ownership, but of continuity.

Before leaving, return your headphones and notebook. A volunteer will thank you and ask if youd like to sign the guest book. Do so. Your presence is part of the story now.

Best Practices

Respect the Silence

The Story Walk is designed to be experienced in quiet contemplation. Loud conversations, phone calls, and excessive photography disrupt the emotional rhythm of the journey. If you wish to take photos, do so respectfullyno flash, no tripods, and avoid photographing other guests. The museum permits photos only in designated areas, clearly marked with small bronze signs.

Engage with the Audio Narration Fully

The audio tracks are not background noisethey are narrative extensions of the text. Use the headphones throughout. The narration includes subtle sound design: distant sirens, a dog barking, a screen door slamming. These cues anchor you in the world. Skipping them diminishes the experience.

Use the Notebook as a Tool, Not a Chore

The provided notebook is not for school assignments. Its a personal archive. Dont feel pressured to write perfectly. Scribble. Cross out. Write in fragments. The act of writinghowever messydeepens memory and emotional retention. Many visitors return years later to reread their notes and rediscover who they were when they first walked the path.

Visit with Intention

Dont treat this as a checklist. Dont rush. The average visit lasts 90120 minutes. If you feel overwhelmed, sit on a bench. Let the story breathe. The museum doesnt measure success by how many rooms you seeit measures it by how deeply you feel.

Bring a CompanionBut Not Too Many

Visiting with one or two others can enhance reflection. Discussing a scene after its experienced adds depth. But large groups (more than four) disrupt the intimacy. If youre with a group, agree beforehand to move slowly and speak softly. Let silence be part of your shared experience.

Prepare Emotionally

The Story Walk does not shy away from grief, loss, and trauma. The death of Johnny, the violence of the rumble, the loneliness of Dallythese are not sanitized. If youve experienced loss, addiction, or alienation, this walk may trigger strong emotions. Thats intentional. The museum is a sanctuary for those who feel unseen. Allow yourself to feel.

Learn the History Behind the Story

While the novel is fiction, its roots are deeply real. S.E. Hinton was a 15-year-old Tulsa high school student when she wrote The Outsiders. She based characters on classmates, and the setting on the neighborhoods she knew. Research the real Tulsa of the 1960sthe racial tensions, the economic divide, the rise of youth culture. Understanding this context transforms the story from a teen drama into a sociological document.

Leave No Trace

Everything in the museum is preserved with care. Do not touch artifacts. Do not lean on walls. Do not move objects. Even the dust on the floor is part of the history. The museums conservation team spends hours maintaining authenticity. Your respect ensures future visitors will have the same experience.

Tools and Resources

Official Museum Website

The Outsiders House Museum website is the primary resource for planning. It includes:

• Timed ticket booking
• Virtual 360 tour of each room
• Downloadable audio guide (for pre-visit preview)
• Educational curriculum for teachers
• Monthly events calendar (book readings, film screenings, student workshops)

Audio Guide App

Download the Outsiders Story Walk app (iOS and Android). It includes:

• Full audio narration synchronized to your location via Bluetooth beacons
• Behind-the-scenes videos of the restoration process
• Interviews with S.E. Hinton and cast members from the 1983 film
• Interactive timeline of the novels publication and cultural impact

Supplemental Reading

Deepen your understanding with these texts:

• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967) the source material
• Still the Same: A Life of S.E. Hinton by Susan K. Hinton (2019) authorized biography
• Teen Rebellion in 1960s America by Dr. Evelyn M. Carter academic analysis
• From Page to Screen: Adapting The Outsiders film studies journal, Vol. 14, 2021

Educational Kits

Teachers and homeschooling parents can request a free curriculum kit. It includes:

• Lesson plans aligned with Common Core standards
• Discussion questions for each Story Walk station
• Student reflection prompts
• Access to virtual Q&A with museum curators

Community Archives

The museum partners with the University of Tulsas Special Collections to maintain the Outsiders Oral History Project. This digital archive contains over 200 interviews with former Tulsa residents who lived through the era depicted in the novel. Access is free and searchable by keyword: greasers, rumble, 1965, Tulsa schools.

Local Partners

For a fuller experience, combine your visit with:

• The Tulsa Historical Society & Museum for context on 1960s urban life
• The Philbrook Museum of Art features a rotating exhibit on American youth culture
• Local diners like The Blue Plate where the films cast reportedly ate during production

Real Examples

Example 1: A Teachers Journey

Ms. Lillian Ruiz, a high school English teacher from Austin, Texas, brought her 11th-grade class to the museum after reading The Outsiders for the third time. Wed analyzed themes, wrote essays, watched the filmbut nothing prepared them for the silence in the kitchen, she said. One student, whod been quiet all year, sat on the stool for 20 minutes. When she came out, she handed me a note: I didnt know I was Ponyboy until I sat there. Thats when I knew the story had finally landed.

Example 2: A Veterans Reflection

James Carter, a 68-year-old Vietnam veteran, visited the museum alone in October 2022. I was 17 when I left home, he wrote in the guest book. I didnt have a Darry. I didnt have a Soda. I had a gun and a uniform. But I had a heart. I think Johnny and I wouldve understood each other. He left a single rose at the Memorial Garden. A volunteer later found it tucked into the journal of a 14-year-old girl whod lost her brother to violence. The rose remains there today.

Example 3: A Global Fans pilgrimage

Yuki Tanaka, a 22-year-old student from Osaka, Japan, traveled to Tulsa after reading the novel in translation. In Japan, we have our own outsidersthe hikikomori, the bullied, the quiet ones, she said. I came to see where this story began. I didnt expect to cry. But when I heard Johnnys voice I felt like I was meeting someone who had been waiting for me. She returned two years later with her mother, who had never read the book. They sat together in Ponyboys room, silent, for 45 minutes.

Example 4: The Restoration Story

In 2008, the house was slated for demolition. A group of fans, led by a former Tulsa librarian named Margaret Cole, launched a grassroots campaign. They raised $120,000 through bake sales, garage sales, and a viral YouTube video titled Save the House Where Ponyboy Sat. The city eventually granted landmark status. The museum opened in 2012. Today, over 40,000 people visit annually. None of this would have happened without ordinary people who believed a story mattered.

FAQs

Is the Outsiders House Museum the actual house from the movie?

Yes. The house at 515 East 17th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the original residence used for exterior shots in the 1983 film. Interior scenes were shot on a soundstage, but the museum has restored the houses interior to match the films design, using production blueprints and photographs.

Do I need to have read the book to enjoy the Story Walk?

No. While familiarity with the novel enhances the experience, the audio narration and visual storytelling are designed to be accessible to newcomers. Many visitors come without having read the bookand leave with a deep emotional connection to the story.

How long does the Story Walk take?

Most visitors spend between 90 and 120 minutes. Theres no time limit, but timed entry ensures a calm, unhurried pace. Rushing diminishes the impact.

Can I bring children?

Yes. The museum welcomes visitors of all ages. However, the content deals with themes of violence, loss, and social inequality. Parents are encouraged to preview the content and use the provided discussion guide to help children process what they experience.

Are photos allowed?

Photography is permitted in designated areas only. No flash, no tripods, and no photos of other guests. The museum asks for discretion to preserve the reflective atmosphere.

Is the museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The main house and church replica are fully accessible. The path to the church is gravel but wide and flat. Mobility aids are available upon request.

Can I volunteer or donate?

Yes. The museum is a nonprofit operated entirely by volunteers and private donations. You can apply to volunteer through the website or contribute to their preservation fund. Every dollar helps maintain the authenticity of the experience.

Why is there no gift shop full of merchandise?

The museum intentionally avoids commercialization. The focus is on preservation, education, and emotional resonancenot profit. The small gift shop offers only meaningful, locally made items that honor the storys legacy.

Can I host a private event here?

Yes. The museum offers limited private rentals for literary readings, film screenings, and memorial gatherings. Requests must be submitted 30 days in advance and align with the museums mission of quiet reflection and educational integrity.

What if I have a question during my visit?

Volunteers are stationed at key points throughout the Story Walk. They are trained to answer questions without disrupting the experience. They will not interrupt your reflectionbut will be there if you need guidance.

Conclusion

The Outsiders House Museum Story Walk is not a theme park. It is not a museum of artifacts. It is a living, breathing extension of a story that refused to die. It is the quiet space where a teenage girls handwritten novel became a global touchstone. It is the porch where a boy sat alone, afraid, and found himself. It is the church where a boy gave his life so others might liveand where, decades later, strangers still leave candles in his memory.

To visit is to step into a world that never asked for your attentionbut gave you something far more valuable: recognition. It says, in every chipped paint, every silent room, every whispered line of audio: You are not alone. Your pain matters. Your voice matters.

As you leave, you carry more than a map or a notebook. You carry a piece of Ponyboys storyand in carrying it, you become part of its continuation. The Outsiders House Museum does not preserve the past. It keeps it alive. And in doing so, it reminds us that the most enduring stories are not the ones we readbut the ones we live.

Walk slowly. Listen closely. Leave something behind. And know that somewhere, someone is walking the same path right nowquietly, bravely, hoping to be seen.