Chihuly Glass Joins Convention Center Display
Four Dale Chihuly artworks from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art are now on view at the Oklahoma City Convention Center under a five-year loan.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Fine Art
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Four Dale Chihuly glass artworks from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art's permanent collection are on display on the second floor of the Oklahoma City Convention Center. The works are on loan under a five-year public art agreement among the museum, the convention center and the City of Oklahoma City.
Why it matters
The arrangement brings works from a major museum collection into a high-traffic public venue at no charge to visitors during public events. It also shows how the city is using existing arts funding to place artwork in civic buildings.
The installation consists of four works on a five-year public art loan from the museum's permanent collection. The loan terms do not specify valuation or insurance details, and the source does not address how future displays will be selected.
The players
Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly is an American glass artist internationally known for large-scale blown glass installations and sculptures.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is the city's principal art museum, holding a permanent collection that includes works by major modern and contemporary artists.
Oklahoma City Convention Center
The Oklahoma City Convention Center is the city's main venue for conventions, trade shows and public events.
The details
The installation sits on the convention center's second floor and can be viewed free of charge when the venue is open for public events. It follows discussions begun in 2024 among the convention center, the museum and the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, and joins other works on display including Ernesto Sanchez's 9-by-20-foot oil painting Massive Communication.
Timeline
2024: Discussions among the convention center, the museum and the arts office begin.
Five-year term: The public art loan agreement for the Chihuly works runs.
Culture Shift
The loan extends Oklahoma City's 1% for Arts program, which directs a share of capital construction budgets toward public artwork. Placing museum-held works in a civic building reflects a city model that brings existing collections into everyday public spaces.
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Convention Center can view the Chihuly installation free of charge whenever the venue hosts public events. The works will remain on display for the five-year term of the loan.
The takeaway
Public art can reach everyday audiences when existing museum collections are shared with civic buildings. Visitors to public events at the convention center have a free way to see the Chihuly works during the five-year loan.
Further reading
Explore more Fine Art coverage from across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Journal Record.
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