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The A. D. Buck History Museum and Welcome Center, housed on the Tonkawa campus of Northern Oklahoma College, is one of the oldest college connected museums in the state. It was founded in 1913 by C. E. Johnson who was a biology instructor at the college. Johnson’s taxidermy course led to many of the early specimens in the museum. The museum was originally housed in Wilkin Hall before the building burnt down in 1914. The museum remained in North Hall (Harold Hall) until 1968 when it was given its own building.
Originally called the Yellow Bull Museum after a Nez Perce chief, the museum was renamed in 1966 to honor its long-time director, A. D. Buck, who served from the 1930s until 1966. During the museum’s history, there have been four directors – C. E. Johnson, A. D. Buck, Leo Rodriguez, and Rex Ackerson. The museum closed in 2010 for renovations and remodeling. Once known for housing C. E. Johnson’s taxidermy collection, collections of local history, mounted birds and displays detailing the mammals of north-central Oklahoma; the museum will reopen in 2012 housing the artifacts and memorabilia by decade representing the 110 year history of the institution.