The Fred Jones Jr. Museum was founded at the University of Oklahoma in 1936 by art professor Oscar Jacobson. Jacobson was also responsible for collecting all the original 250 works located in the Jacobson Hall today. In the same year, the collection grew as Lew Wentz and Gordon Matzene made a donation of 750 works covering East Asian art. The museum eventually found a permanent home when a fine arts building was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jones in memory of their son, who was a student in the University and victim of an airplane crash.

The 15,000 feet exhibition space was originally called The Fred Jones Jr. Memorial Art Center. Today, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art has become a premiere facility considered to be one of the best. With collections of more than 12,000 objects, visitors can be assured that the different periods are very well-represented in this well maintained museum.