OKPOP Secures Pivotal Funding From State

State lawmakers approved $18 million for Tulsa's OKPOP Museum. 

The museum now needs to match that money in private donations. This second phase of funding will facilitate the build out of the exhibits.

"We want to inspire that next generation, and OKPOP's going to do that," said Executive Director Jake Krumweide. 

The OKPOP Foundation is now hitting the ground running with fundraising efforts.

"So, the 18 million was a matching dollars. So now we've been tasked to raise the other 18 and we're making really good progress there," said Krumweide. 

Jake Krumweide joined OKPOP last September after former Executive Director Jeff Moore Resigned.

"For the last several months, you know that I have been here. We have been, you know, trying to raise the funds necessary, " said Krumweide. "To get this place open and having this funding secure from the state is going to really help us do that."

In the meantime, archivists and historians have been working to acquire collections for the museum and already have 20,000 artifacts to potentially use in exhibits.

Some of the items include Leon Russell's iconic top hat, comic books from Archie Goodwin as well as the boots and fiddle of Bob Wills.

Once the private portion of the funding is secured, the museum will take 24 months to build out and get ready to open.

As of now, Krumweide is not ready to give an estimated opening date but says when he does, it will be the official and final one.