Long before America was defined by the automatic strapping machine and other innovations which have powered it industrially, it was known for its wild frontier days. Stories of the American west travelled around the globe, captivating the imaginations of people in all nations. That legacy can still be heard worldwide today, as youngsters from the United Kingdom to Australia play games of cowboys and Indians and other games which commemorate the wild west of the 18th century.
If you live on a piece of Tulsa Oklahoma real estate, then you are living on hallowed soil as far as the story of the American frontier goes. You might make your living as a PCB designer in a typical cubicle office, but under your feet are hundreds of years worth of exciting history. Battle may have been fought there, people of any different nation buried, a ranch may have stood. These things have all faded into the memory of only a few committed historians, although the idea of them still propels a nation.
There are some places where although the west of myth is long gone, many pieces of it have been preserved to remind generations what life was like and who lived during this era. One of the most famous holding places for the remnants of America's past is the Gilcrease museum. Located just outside of Tulsa, the Gilcrease museum is dedicated particularly to America's west in all its many facets. You will find artifacts ranging from canoes with double keels to firearms throughout the building. In fact, the museum is said to own the largest collection of American western art and memorabilia in the world.
That's right, art lovers, there are plenty of items for you to see at the Gilcrease museum as well. There is the art of famous western painters, depicting desert scenes in Arizona or ranches in Colorado. There are pieces of the Declaration of Independence, and documents signed by some of America's earliest explorers. All have been verified as legitimate through various measures, by scientists equipped with the latest in xray protection.
The museum has also recently made great strides in the size of its collection of central and South American art and artifacts as well. There are paintings of Aztecs learning how to sell used jewelry from the Spanish, weapons of the era, and calendars dating back hundreds of years. What a great place to visit.
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