While my eldest daughter and I were in the City of Tulsa, OK, we had to swing by the icon statue of The Golden Driller. It depicts an oil worker wearing a hard hat and holding a drilling derrick. It stands 76 feet tall and weighs 43,500 pounds. It captures the bold spirit and history of the region's oil boom in turn is a striking tribute to the petroleum industry. This statue is located right outside the Tulsa Expo Square. It is very easy to find. It's so tall and yellow. You can't miss it. It was rainy during our visit, but I was still able to capture some photos of the statue. I zoomed in to see the impressive scale and detailed craftsmanship of this super cool and giant landmark. Despite of the wet weather, it was still a fantastic stop for quick photos during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. Definitely a memorable roadside attraction for all visitors to enjoy. Thanks Golden Driller! read more

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I stopped by the Golden Driller statue in Midtown Tulsa, OK, in honor of my dad worked in the oilfield for over 50 years. On July 25, 2025, the statue had no extras adorned on his person as I have seen in past photos, but he was still magnificently gold with "TULSA" on his belt. He was much taller than I expected - 76' tall! He weighs in at 43,500 pounds. Wow! It sits in front of the Tulsa Expo Center at Golden Driller Plaza. There was free parking. If you're traveling along the historic Route 66, stop by and show him and the men and women who have been in the petroleum industry some love. Works Cited https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.16498 read more

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This only a review for the statue out front which is epic. Stopped to take some photos before going to the airport. Everyone must check it out before leaving Tulsa. read more

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Cool sight to come see and get done great pics. It's one of the few sights to see in Tulsa so check it out. read more

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My coworkers and I took an Uber to check this place out. Apparently, it s a must see for those visiting Tulsa for the first time. Golden Driller is a massive statue located at Tulsa Expo Square on the Historic Route 66. Nice to be able to say I got to see this! read more

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We visited the Tulsa Driller as a family outing--us, the kids, and even our dog--and it was an awesome stop! This towering golden statue is a true Oklahoma icon, standing tall outside the fairgrounds with "TULSA" proudly stamped on his belt buckle. The area around him is clean and open, perfect for snapping a few fun photos. Our dog loved the walk and the open space nearby, and we saw several other families doing the same. It's a quick visit, but absolutely worth it if you're in Tulsa. Big, bold, and full of local character--the Driller doesn't disappoint! read more

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i bookmarked the golden driller statue here on yelp as a destination i'd like to go, and have been debating about when to visit, and take pictures to post a review, since the statue is a tulsa landmark that is nearby and consistently available to the public, though features occasional limited-time promotional attire and attracts additional appeal during events at the connected expo center and fairgrounds. that said, while walking on the opposite side of the street on e 21st, toward which the driller statue faces, i'd noticed a neighborhood sign attached to a street intersection sign on a corner of the residential neighborhood across the street from the statue. the sign promoted "driller landing" neighborhood, which though different from the name "mayo meadow" by which i'd known that neighborhood area before, i'm glad for the change that promotes the area directly around the golden driller through reference to the nearby landmark. further, although i've been a tulsan almost all of life, i'd not gone close enough to the statue, which i've seen around a million times, to read the plaque accompanying the statue, which details the origins of the statue relating to the petroleum expo hosted in tulsa at the expo center for many years . and while i'm only novicely educated about the history of the petroleum expo in tulsa, and how that event connects to the origins of tulsa as "oil capital of the world" at a time in the 20th century, i'm especially intrigued by the feature of "golden girls" dancing at the event, who wore gold clothes and performed at the petroleum expo, although i'm not yet well read about an explicit connection, if any, of the "golden girls" to the golden driller statue. read more

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One of them must view, somewhat ridiculous stops off Route 66 is Tulsa's gold driller.... While I was there, I looked up more information about him and found out the following; "The Golden Driller is still the tallest free-standing statue in the U.S. He's so high that he rests his gloved right hand on a real Oklahoma oil derrick. Built of steel and concrete, he weighs nearly 22 tons and is expected to survive 200 mph tornadoes. His exact specifications stated that he comes in - Weighing a whopping 43,500 pounds and stands 76 feet tall" read more

Golden Driller - Golden driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

This is Historic Route 66 attraction. This golden statue is very attractive very far away. It is one of the tallest statues in United States. May tallest in Oklahoma. It is the symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. The current status build in 1966 and move to current Tulsa Exposition Center. The golden driller represents man and women of the petroleum industry. It was model and build first 1952. Then it was set on the depleted oil field and move to current position. I wonder the shoe size, belt size for waist and big safety hat. The golden driller is huge. Great for pictures. Definitely a symbol for Tulsa. You will know the picture with it and immediately know to be Tulsa. read more

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Its a true Tulsa icon! Pictures with the big guy throughout the many years he's been here. I love the custom shirts that he wears during special events. It's something that means a lot to the Okies in this town. read more

This one of those places you have to just stop by visit.Take your pictures with. To be honest, it's not that exciting, but it is one of the places that is a must see why you're visiting Tulsa. read more

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The Golden Driller is a place to stop for a picture or two when you're in Tulsa; it's not worth a special trip, but you might find it interesting if you happen to be close by. Tip: Tulsa is the HQ for a number of oil companies; it was once known as the Oil Capital of the World The statue is the 2nd tallest free-standing sculpture in the United States (the Statue of Liberty being the tallest). It's large enough that you can take a picture from your car without even neeeding to walk up close. If you want a selfie, then closer is better :-) read more

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How could I NOT go visit a 76 foot tall man in Tulsa? Yes, the Golden Driller statue is in front of the Tulsa Expo Center since 1966 and weighs an insane 43,500 pounds. Originally built in 1952 for the International Petroleum Exposition, the statue was donated to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. The Driller is resting his arm on an actual oil derrick which served a (new depleted) oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma. At his feet, the caption reads, "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind." He is allegedly the fifth tallest statue in the United States. [Review 16255 overall - 91 in Oklahoma - 1761 of 2021.] read more

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Was great visiting a beautiful Tulsa landmark. It was even taller than I expected but nonetheless it was nice. Tulsa has been amazing and I wanted to visit this place for a while now. The surrounding tourist area is clean and well maintained. This is located at Tulsa Fairgrounds. It was very nice to be here finally! read more

Golden Driller - Windy today but nice here - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

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No visit to Tulsa is complete unl you visit the Golden Driller. It's an iconic statue and the area immediately around the statue was given a facelift a couple years ago. It's Michael nicer now. And since my review was first published it seems the guy has a new shirt. Fancy. read more

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Another sight along Route 66 is the Golden Driller. It is 76 feet tall and 43,500 lbs and was erected in 1966 as a tribute to the region's petroleum industry. They are building a new plaza around this statue, which will be completed Fall 2021. There is a fairground behind it. We didn't cross the road to the statue as it was kinda busy. But we did take photos from across the street. There is no parking so we parked a little ways down in the residential area across from the statue. It was cool to see. read more

Golden Driller - Golden Driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Gotta go see this awesome (HUGE!) statue when in Tulsa. He doesn't disappoint. He's Golden. He's an oil driller. He's the Golden Driller!! A wonderful memento of Tulsa's long history with the oil industry. Kids will love to climb on his boots. Perfect spot for some fun pics. read more

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I think the Golden Driller is such a cool landmark in Tulsa. I love how it shows Tulsa's history as the "oil capital of the world". It seems like a lot of things are named after this one statue (sports teams, sushi rolls, etc.), which I think is kind of cool. You can find him right outside the Expo building. This is where the fairgrounds are every year in the fall. In the summer, you can visit the Golden Driller and enjoy one of the best snow cone shacks right next to it while you're at it. One of my favorite things about the Golden Driller is that they'll sometimes put shirts on him! I imagine that with it being a very large statue this would be quite the challenge, but it happens nonetheless (good dedication, Tulsa)! When I was younger and would drive past him almost every day after school, I especially thought the shirt thing was funny. Recently I haven't noticed them doing it as much, so maybe they don't anymore, or maybe I just don't go over there as often as I used to. A new fun fact about the Golden Driller that I heard about is that they made a smaller replica of him at some kind of theme park in France. How random! I love when Tulsa gets its name out there, so thanks for giving us another shoutout Mr. Golden Driller! read more

Rude, unprofessional, inconsiderate, staff without integrity or courtesy. Old facility with new paint kind of like putting lipstick on a pig. read more

I've passed by the Golden Driller, Oklahoma's official state monument, on previous visits to Tulsa but this was the first time I stopped to take some photos. I should have called for an ambulance but I guessed that Tulsa didn't have one big enough for Mr. Driller. He seems to have some serious health issues. His neck appears swollen and would suggest a thyroid condition. The sternum and rib cage are unusually pronounced which may indicate pectus carinatum commonly known as pigeon chest. His droopy eyelids may actually be ptosis. The cause of that could be a spinal cord injury, stroke, or lung cancer. The severely constrictive underwear that he has chosen -- what's up with that? -- can't be doing him any good, either. Finally, the obvious yellow pallor means jaundice which would explain his unhealthy weight loss. Mr. Driller is a medical catastrophe and he seems too proud to see a doctor so the only solution is an intervention. It's time for his family and friends to step in. read more

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Back in the Day, Tulsa was known as the Oil Capital of the World. The plaque at the base of the statue reads: "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind." Some fun facts...The Golden Driller is a 75-foot-tall (23 meters for those of us still using the metric system), 43,500-pound (19,700 kg/22 tons) statue of an oil worker. It is the fifth-tallest statue in the United States and can supposedly survive 200mph tornadoes. It was originally built by a Texan company in 1952 for the International Petroleum Exposition. Due to its popularity, the statue was donated to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. They had it anatomically redesigned and permanently installed in front of the Tulsa Expo Center in 1966. The GD was designed by George S. "Grecco" Hondronastas (1893-1979), a Greek immigrant who viewed it as his greatest artistic accomplishment. It was adopted as a state monument in 1979 and apparently that was a very dramatic decision. Many people didn't like the statue and some thought it was obscene to have a statue with a bare chest. LOL Sometimes different companies sponsor events at the Expo Center and they actually put a shirt on him with their logo. read more

I appreciate the homage to black gold. It's different that's for sure. Truly - this big bulging man is something else. He's lean, mean, and golden, ladies and gentlemen. Although a bit anticlimactic. read more

Golden Driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Okay, the Golden Driller is basically just a photo opportunity. However, it is THE iconic photo opportunity for anyone visiting Tulsa. I personally love when the Golden Driller gets dressed up for the Tulsa State Fair. read more

Golden Driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Yea hes a giant statue and thats fun, but what they don't tell you is the shaved ice stand right next to him, where they serve delicious snow cones with gummies!!! So unique and enjoyable, definitely go on a warm summer day and have some shave ice!!! read more

Golden Driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Me: Hey man, what's up? GD: Not much just standing tall and Tulsa proud since 1953. Me: Oh, that's cool. GD:Yah I'm actually 76 feet tall and the largest free-standing statue in the world. Me: Wow, that's impressive. GD: I originally came here as a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. I am dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind. Me: that's awesome thank you for your service to all of the oil men and women. GD: Your welcome, p.s. I may be 43,500 lbs. but I'm not fat I'm just well structured. read more

More GIANT STUFF in Tulsa! This is a GIANT Oil Driller guy standing around, resting his arm on a real oil rig. He's 76 feet high and has, of course, huge feet that are kind of fun to sit on and pose for a picture. I always heard everything was bigger in Texas, but Tulsa has some very cool big stuff. read more

Lo, the patron saint of fossil fuels, St Petrolius (or the Golden Driller if you must), an American idol blessing the motorists on nearby Route 66 (the four-lane to heaven), asking for little but your focus on his golden bod and a sacrifice of a little automobile wine to make the pilgrimage. And you thought the praying hands at Oral Roberts University was the only monumental religious sculpture in Tulsa! read more

Should definitely stop if you're interested in historical sites along RT66, he's quite impressive in person! read more

Golden Driller - Parks Near Me - Tulsa, Oklahoma

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It's what you expect: a giant statue of a man outside of the fairgrounds. Worth a drive by.

Pretty epic to see. a must stop in the area. just snap a quick pic and gawk at the statue's ridiculous size. easy to park in the many surrounding lots. read more

Fun little stop. I couldn't visit Tulsa and not check it out!