Why Is The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa?(And Will You Enjoy It If You’re Not Already a Dylan Fan?)

Now, before I get the hardcore Dylan fans up in arms, let me start by saying I’m not NOT a Bob Dylan fan. I just didn’t know much about the man or the music before visiting the museum.

That’s honestly why it took so long for me to finally visit a place that people have come from all over the world to see, and to experience what is objectively a very big deal in the music world. Could I really enjoy a place “dedicated to the study and appreciation of renowned American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and his cultural significance” if his music had no significance for me?

For context, and so you don’t judge me too harshly: I grew up in a conservative home where secular music was, by and large, not approved listening material. I caught the latest 80’s power ballad on the top 40 station in my friends’ cars and some growly Metallica songs at a few tame high school parties, but if they didn’t play it on the radio, I didn’t know about it. And the radio stations definitely weren’t playing much Dylan.

All I thought I knew about Bob Dylan was that he was a famous recluse that had written some folk(?) songs back in the 60’s, and he wasn’t really doing much any more. (Even in those paltry facts, I was mistaken.)

So…having dug a deep enough hole for myself as a musical bumpkin, at least we’ve established my starting point at the front door of the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK.

Some Genuine Nerves Happening Beforehand

Full disclosure: I was a little nervous about this one.

Hinky downtown parallel parking – check.

Imposing grand entrance for maximum intimidation – check.

Potentially pretentious boutique museum that would instantly identify me as an outsider and a fraud – yet to be determined.

But also…a blog to fill with content and new adventures to try. So I wrangled Dan (who can reverse a fire engine down a narrow alley using only the side mirrors and a smile) to manage the driving and provide some much-needed musical street cred, and we ventured forth.

Bob Dylan Center – The History

Before we get to the Center itself though, maybe you’re wondering why there’s a world-class repository of Bob Dylan’s personal songwriting, concert, and art collections in Tulsa, OK. Is Bob Dylan from here? Did we win a lottery or something?

No, he isn’t…and yes, in a way we did.

The Bob Dylan Center, along with the Woody Guthrie Center, Guthrie Green, Gathering Place, and myriad other area landmarks, exist because of the generosity of Tulsa philanthropist George Kaiser.

According to the LA Times, “the center came into focus in 2016 when billionaire Tulsa oilman George Kaiser heard from a New York rare-book dealer through his Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser had purchased the archives of Oklahoma-born folk singer Woody Guthrie in 2011 and helped create the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa’s Arts District. The book dealer said Bob Dylan was interested in selling his archive to Kaiser, in no small part because Dylan’s legend involves his early worship of Guthrie.”

As for the Center’s location in Tulsa, Dylan shared his thoughts with a Vanity Fair reporter: “There’s more vibrations on the coasts, for sure. But I’m from Minnesota and I like the casual hum of the heartland.”

In 2016, Kaiser bought the Dylan archive for a reported $20 million, which includes “100,000 items spanning Dylan’s career, including handwritten manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence; films, videos, photographs and artwork; memorabilia and ephemera; personal documents and effects; unreleased studio and concert recordings; musical instruments; and many other elements.” It took six more years to design and build the museum space, and the Bob Dylan Center opened to the public in May 2022.

Bob Dylan Center – What We Saw

The outside of the museum is beautiful – a subtle oversized image of Dylan himself gazing down from the brick exterior of the building.

Through the front doors to the lobby, the first thing we saw was another huge image of Dylan next to a 16-foot metalwork installation (more on that later), heavy concrete beams, and an imposing concrete staircase leading up to the front desk.

I’m sure I said “whoa!” much too loudly when I came in, and then tried to cover the awkwardness by waving to the people at the info desk at the top of the stairs and hollering, “Hey everybody, this sure is a grand entrance!”

Happily, the friendly staff immediately waved and smiled back, and called down to warmly welcome us to the Center.

How To Navigate the Exhibit Spaces

The staff gave us an overview of the exhibit spaces and offered interactive handheld devices with headphones to enjoy a self-guided tour. These turned out to be absolutely essential, and were very simple to use. Throughout the Center, we could tap our device on specific displays to enjoy snippets of music, interviews, and other interactive audio that corresponded with what we were looking at.

About the Exhibits

The first floor exhibit space is made up of two main sections: a gorgeously high-tech video room showing an 18-minute movie about Bob Dylan’s life (interesting, although we were eager to see everything else and didn’t stay to watch the end), and a large open space filled with hundreds of individual exhibit items.

The large room packs a lot in. Lining three walls is a chronological timeline of Dylan’s life and career, with photos, concert flyers, handwritten notes, and memorabilia covering nearly eight decades. The center of the room contains six standalone exhibits, each one featuring the process of composing, recording, and performing one of Dylan’s most well-known songs.

The first floor also contains a mini “recording studio” sponsored by the Church Studio, a digital jukebox of songs related to Dylan in some way, and a cozy reading nook of books curated by poet laurate and Tulsa native Joy Harjo, if you just want to sit and relax.

The second floor has more memorabilia that even a complete novice in Dylan lore would find fascinating: concert costumes, guitars, holiday cards, fan letters from around the world, promotional posters, a giant tambourine…it was a truly touching reflection of a musician’s life, professional and personal, on the road and at home.

On the second floor, you can also find a gallery of Dylan’s original portrait artwork, a second theater room, as well as a space to display to the work of other artists for shorter periods of time.

Bob Dylan Center – What We learned

So much! I was surprised by how many Dylan songs I did know very well…I just didn’t know they were his.

“That one is by Bob Dylan, too? I love that song! Wait…have I been a Bob Dylan fan all this time and didn’t know it?” (The Kingston Trio cover of “Blowin’ In The Wind” was a beloved staple of many childhood road trips, and will always evoke memories of hot summer days and long car rides.)

More than the history and lore of the man himself, I was fascinated by the creative process on display. Especially in the individual song displays, you can see the sometimes challenging process of wordsmithing, honing, and refining music and lyrics as well as the nuts and bolts of producing a finished track.

It’s also interesting to see the other ways that Dylan expressed himself, especially his original artwork and his metalwork (remember that 16-foot sculpture from the lobby? Yep, Dylan made that, too).

To me, this just shows how personal creativity can grow the more you use it, and how easily it spans across multiple genres and forms of media. Singers become painters, actors become designers, artists become poets. Poets become welders. Creativity begets creativity (so get to creating something)!

Bob Dylan Center – Worth a Visit?

From the moment the info desk crew waved back at me, I was surprised by how very much I enjoyed my experience.

I went from knowing nothing about Bob Dylan to being both impressed and inspired by his work, and I had a lot of fun roaming and tapping my digital guide on anything that caught my interest. The Center was not at all intimidating; quite the contrary, it was immediately engaging and immersive. The staff were incredibly kind and helpful, and we had a great time from start to finish.

I didn’t do any research beforehand, but I’d love to go back again with more context for what I’m looking at to appreciate it more. I also think it’s a great place to bring music-loving visitors and guests to the city.

About the Center

Location: 116 E Mathew Brady St, Tulsa, OK

Cost: $12 Adults, 17 & under Free (ticket price includes admission to the Woody Guthrie Center)

Hours: 10am – 6pm, Wednesday thru Sunday

Website: https://bobdylancenter.com/

Learn More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Zgx29mxFY