The Bob Dylan Museum in Tulsa, Okla., has announced a new exhibit, titled “Going Electric: Bob Dylan ‘65.” The historic offering of multimedia items and reference points will be on view from July 24, 2025, through spring 2026. 

The forthcoming showcase leans into Dylan’s pre-electric era and subsequent set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The performance remains one of popular music’s most influential turning points, a controversial capstone that cemented the Bard’s status as an iconoclast of rock and roll.  

“Dylan’s Newport moment is widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in the history of 20th-century popular music,” offered Mark Davidson, curator of the exhibit. “But there’s much more to the story. Drawing upon our considerable archival collections, this exhibit cuts through the myths to present a dynamic, kaleidoscopic portrait of an artist in a way that only the Bob Dylan Center can.”

According to an overview of the retrospective, it will provide fans and music enthusiasts with an opportunity to view previously unseen manuscripts from studio LPs, such as Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, as well as newly discovered typescript drafts with handwritten edits on the watershed release, “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

Adding to the visual presentation, photos, artifacts, and more examples from the musician’s final all-acoustic tour, as well as his spring 1965 gigs with Joan Baez, UK tour, and the subsequent film, Don’t Look Back, which traces Dylan’s visit across the pond at the tender age of 23. 

As added features of the exhibit, the Tulsa gallery will provide attendees the opportunity to see Mike Bloomfield’s 1963 Telecaster, played at the Newport Folk Festival, in addition to Sally Grossman’s red jumpsuit from the cover of Bringing It All Back Home. 

“Going Electric: Bob Dylan ‘65” traces Dylan’s pre-electric roots to 1950s rock and roll and R&B, with reference points to influential artists such as Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Little Richard, who paved the way for his experimentation. 

On the other side of the acclaimed performance, the exhibit sets out to uncover the ripple effect that followed Dylan’s festival set and influence on The Beatles, The Byrds, and more, who coalesced folk and rock tendencies. 

For additional information and to plan your visit, follow this link.