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| Museum of The Red River |
The Museum of the Red River is home to art and archaeology from around the world and the Oklahoma State Dinosaur, Acrocanthosaurus atokensis.[1]
On May 24, 2025, I visited the Museum of the Red River in Idabel, Oklahoma. They have, as always (I've been there before), a fantastic gift shop. Some items were affordable, and some were not. One thing they had for sale was a vertical amethyst cluster/geode for $750. This, of course, was a bit expensive for something that would only be a conversation piece.
When I visited, the museum was celebrating its 50th anniversary. It opened in 1975.[2] Their newer building, as partially seen above, was modeled after a step pyramid. Specifically, "El Castillo at Chichen Itza and the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán.[3]"
The museum features art and artifacts from around the world, from South America to Asia. I saw Caddo (Indian) artifacts and a stele of Ganesh. I saw large drums, and even taxidermic work that preserved a large Golden Eagle.
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| Golden Eagle |
One interesting feature of the museum is that they have a cast of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis, or "Akro," Oklahoma's state dinosaur. Akro's original fossilized remains were found in McCurtain County about 12 miles from the museum's current location. It was a T-Rex-like monster. The one at the museum, which is a faithful representation of the original skeleton, is about 40 feet long.
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| Acrocanthosaurus atokensis |
On a previous occasion, as seen in the following side-by-side image, I visited the museum and found a mummy on display. It was and remains the only "real" mummy that I have ever seen. It wasn't there when I went back in May. I inquired about it, but the lady at the desk said she'd never seen it, and it was most likely in their (temperature-controlled) storage area. I want to see it again. I was also told that many people ask about the mummy. I don't remember if I ever knew what her name was.
From the notes I made on that previous visit, the mummy was female. It was dated to the "Roman period" in Egypt. She was about 35 years old, and the sarcophagus is said to be of the mass-produced sort. According to the display, it contains standard funerary text painted on it, and there was even a typo in some of the text.
The following images show an engraved (Caddo) shell cup and a large drum. I heard people beating on it, so maybe it was there to provide museumgoers with something to do.
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| Caddo Shell Cup |
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| Drum |
Caddo shell cup and large drum.
[1] https://choctawcountry.com/attractions/museum-of-the-red-river/
[2] Hochatown Tourist. Free Newspaper. May Edition. Volume 30, No. 5. Copyright 2025 Hochatown Tourist.
[3] Museum of The Red River, Brochure.
