When Los Angeles native Iyshia Majors decided to relocate across the country, she anticipated a major shift in her daily routine and environment, but she never imagined her journey would include sleeping inside a historic landmark. Yet, that is precisely where the recent California transplant found herself after booking a spot at a unique after-hours program hosted by the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma.
The event, officially billed as "Up Late with Will Rogers: An All-Nighter for Grown-ups," offered curious visitors an uncommon opportunity to spend the entire night inside the cultural institution. Organized by the museum staff, the adult slumber party brought participants together to explore the facility after standard operational hours, blending hands-on frontier arts with a deep dive into the legacy of one of Oklahoma's most celebrated historical figures.
Majors' participation in the overnight gathering was part of an ongoing chapter of personal discovery that began earlier in the year. In February 2026, she made the life-changing choice to depart Los Angeles and relocate to Tulsa, joining the growing ranks of out-of-state professionals moving to the region under the auspices of the Tulsa Remote initiative.
The Tulsa Remote program operates with the focused mission of attracting and retaining talented remote workers from across the United States. To encourage long-term community integration and regional economic growth, individuals accepted into the program are required to move to Tulsa, receiving a $10,000 grant to assist with their relocation and help them establish roots in their new environment.
Majors discovered the museum's overnight event completely by coincidence while researching recreational destinations in northeastern Oklahoma. While browsing the internet to learn more about local lakes, she happened upon an online advertisement promoting a late-night function at the Claremore museum, which immediately captured her attention and curiosity.
Fascinated by the prospect of a late-evening museum experience, Majors clicked on the promotional listing to view the institution's upcoming public calendar. When she realized the museum was staging a full overnight event designed specifically for an adult audience, she quickly decided to sign up and take part in the unique gathering.
Although the all-nighter marked her very first visit to the Claremore facility, the name and memory of Will Rogers were already familiar to Majors before she ever set foot in Oklahoma. During her years residing in Southern California, she had frequently visited the Will Rogers State Historic Park, a prominent landmark situated in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Encountering the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore served as an important moment of connection for the new resident. Majors noted that discovering the museum helped everything click into place, reinforcing the entertainer's origins and providing a meaningful cultural bridge that linked her previous life on the West Coast to her newly adopted community in Oklahoma.
Throughout the evening, Majors and her fellow guests participated in a diverse schedule of interactive and entertaining pastimes. Attendees had the chance to practice western rope tricks and receive instruction in traditional two-step dancing, allowing them to engage directly with classic performance disciplines closely associated with the historic humorist and trick roper.
The program also provided behind-the-scenes exploration, allowing participants to wander through the museum’s exhibits after dark in a way standard daytime visitors rarely experience. Between sessions of learning more about Rogers' expansive career and historical influence, the attendees gathered to make s'mores, enjoying a relaxed and social atmosphere throughout the night.
Reflecting on the experience, Majors expressed high praise for both the organization of the event and the depth of the local heritage preserved at the site. She noted that she was deeply impressed not only by the extensive historical record of Will Rogers' life, but also by the overarching charm and rich history of the Claremore community as a whole.
The overnight museum adventure also served to reinforce Majors' increasingly favorable impression of Oklahoma since her relocation. She acknowledged that moving to the area had greatly exceeded her initial expectations, explaining that she had previously assumed the state would feel far more rural and isolated than what she encountered upon arrival.
Instead, Majors found an inviting, modern community characterized by exceptional hospitality and a strong sense of place. She characterized Tulsa as a charming "little big city" filled with character, adding that the genuine friendliness of local residents has made her feel welcome and fostered a deep affection for Oklahomans.
For Majors, attending the museum's all-night event was another memorable step in her transition from coastal California to northeastern Oklahoma. Having embraced both the regional heritage and the welcoming local community, she remains eager to continue exploring the cities, landmarks, and cultural traditions of her new home state in the months and years ahead.
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