A. In addition to other powers and duties specified by law, the Oklahoma Historical Society shall have the power and duty to:

1. Acquire by gift, devise, purchase or otherwise, absolutely or in trust, and to hold any real property or real estate or other interest therein as may be necessary in carrying into effect the purpose of the Oklahoma Historical Preservation Act.

2. Enter into contracts and to execute all instruments necessary to fulfill its duties, respecting the protection, preservation, maintenance and operation of such historic buildings, sites and/or objects as it may select.

3. Correlate and preserve drawings, plans, photographs and other data of historic and archaeologic sites, buildings and objects.

4. Make surveys of historic and archaeologic sites, buildings and objects for the purpose of determining which possesses exceptional value as commemorating or relating to the history of Oklahoma.

5. Make necessary investigations and research in Oklahoma relating to particular sites, buildings or objects to obtain true and accurate historical and archaeological facts and information concerning such sites, buildings or objects.

6. Contract and make cooperative agreements with municipalities, corporations, associations and individuals, with proper bond where deemed advisable to protect, preserve, maintain or operate any historic or archaeologic building, site, object or property used in connection therewith for public use, regardless whether the title thereto is in the State of Oklahoma. No contract or cooperative agreement shall be made or entered into which will obligate the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury unless or until the Legislature has appropriated sufficient monies for such purpose.

7. Restore, reconstruct, rehabilitate, preserve and maintain historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects and properties of historical and archaeological significance and where deemed desirable establish and maintain museums in connection therewith.

8. Operate and manage historic and archaeologic sites, buildings and properties acquired under the provisions of the Oklahoma Historical Preservation Act, together with lands and subordinate buildings for the benefit of the public, such authority to include the power to charge reasonable visitation fees and grant concessions, leases or permits for the use of land, building space, roads or trails when necessary or desirable either to accommodate the public or to facilitate administration; provided, that such concessions, leases or permits shall be granted only after competitive bids to the person making the highest and best bid.

9. Organize a corporation under the laws of this state when it would be administratively burdensome to restore, reconstruct, operate or maintain any particular historic or archaeologic site, building or property donated to the state.

B. The Oklahoma Historical Society is authorized to make exchanges of duplicates held by it for matters of historical importance which are of the same approximate value as determined by professional appraisal.

Added by Laws 1957, p. 452, §§ 1, 2, emerg. eff. April 30, 1957. Amended by Laws 1968, c. 139, § 1, emerg. eff. April 8, 1968; Laws 1973, c. 46, § 7, operative July 1, 1973; Laws 1988, c. 217, § 6, emerg. eff. June 21, 1988. Renumbered from Title 53, § 2A by Laws 1988, c. 217, § 15, emerg. eff. June 21, 1988. Amended by Laws 1995, c. 71, § 1, emerg. eff. April 12, 1995; Laws 2003, c. 289, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2003.