TULSA, Okla. — Out with the old and in with the new! The old Gilcrease Museum building was demolished Wednesday to make room for a brand new 91,340-square-foot building.

A crane started tearing down the building around 7:45 a.m.

Officials for the history and art museum announced plans for the new building in June. The improved state-of-the-art facility will have more gallery space for programming and exhibitions to better tell stories of American history, art and culture.

The old building closed to the public in July to take out art and history collections and exhibits, and prepare for the demolition.

The Gilcrease Museum boasts the world’s largest public holding of art of the American West, including Indigenous works and manuscripts, photographs, maps and rare books related to the history of the Americas.

The new Gilcrease Museum will be funded through public and private sources. The City of Tulsa contributed $65 million approved by voters as part of Vision Tulsa.

Construction for the new building is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.

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