The Outsiders House Museum

If the phrase “stay gold” means something to you, you might recognize this house. It was the home of the Curtis brothers in The Outsiders—now after several years of work, it’s a museum celebrating a story that has touched countless lives.

In 1982, the director Francis Ford Coppola came to Oklahoma to begin work on The Outsiders. Based upon the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton, it tells the story of a group of young working class men (the “greasers”) and their feud with the rich, privileged kids from the other side of town (the “Socs,” short for Socials). Two greasers, Ponyboy Curtis (played by C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny Cade (played by Ralph Macchio), become involved in a murder, and the repercussions affect everyone involved.

To stay true to the novel, the film was shot on location in Tulsa. The house where the Curtis brothers quarrel and bond with each other and the rest of the greasers is now the home of this museum.

The house was privately owned for many years, and had started to fall into disrepair. In 2016, the musician Danny Boy O’Connor purchased the building. He put out the word to fans of The Outsiders, asking for donations to begin the project. After years of renovations, obstacles, and setbacks, the museum opened to the public in August 2019. O’Connor was joined by C. Thomas Howell and S.E. Hinton at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

Fans can look off of the porch and gaze into the sunset like Ponyboy would have, and go into the room where he reads the bittersweet letter from his best friend. The museum’s extensive memorabilia collection contains artifacts like wardrobe from the film, posters and books from around the world, and a green towel autographed from Sodapop himself (Rob Lowe). This house is a reminder that things really can stay gold.