The Memorial Museum, located in Oklahoma City, is a destination every Oklahoman should visit – and it is worth the 90-minute trip from Tulsa to get there and learn about how Oklahomans are supportive, united, and persistent. It teaches us how we can give new significance to the tragedies that occur in our lives, and how being surrounded by selfless people can help us overcome various challenging events.
The Memorial presents a compelling linear narrative. It begins by showing what life looked like in the hours leading up to the tragedy – an ordinary day. Immediately afterward, it plays a recording of a meeting taking place near the Murrah Building at the exact moment of the bombing.
The narrative continues by showing objects from the building and personal items restored from fragments after the explosion, the map that Timothy McVeigh, the main criminal who built the bomb, used to plan the explosion, and many other components which depict the scenario on that unforgettable day.
The Survivor Tree
During its early years, the tree provided shade in the parking lot, and workers would arrive early to secure a spot beneath its branches. After the explosion, which took 168 lives and injured hundreds, the tree became an iconic symbol of enduring hope.
Reflecting Pool
At 9:02 a.m., the bombing forever changed the lives of innumerable people, a transformation symbolized by the Reflecting Pool. The pool encourages contemplation of the enduring consequences of the attack. The reflecting pool emphasizes the contrast between the world of today and that of 1995.
Field of Empty Chairs
The Field of Empty Chairs holds 168 bronze and glass chairs inscribed with the names of those killed in the bombing, positioned where the Murrah Building once stood. Arranged in nine rows to reflect the building’s floors, the chairs also mirror the blast’s impact. Smaller chairs honor the 19 children, and five others mark victims outside the building, including a rescuer.
The tragedy will never be forgotten, but it was not what defined Oklahomans’ history at that time. The quick response, kindness, and sense of solidarity shown by Oklahomans inspired an entire nation and became known as the Oklahoma Standard.
The Oklahoma Standard website describes the community’s response to the bombing.
“Trucks became ambulances. Strangers became neighbors. People donated the shoes off their feet. That spirit of generosity – of giving until there’s no more to give – has been part of the DNA of the state ever since it was founded.”
Visiting the Memorial Museum is more than just going to a place – it is learning the facts that fostered a community’s resilience. By walking through the museum corridors, we see not only destruction and debris but also the rebuilding of a people, stacking bricks of empathy, bonded by civic responsibility, and grounded in generosity.
Having explored why the Memorial Museum is such a valuable experience, it is also helpful to know the practical details of visiting, such as the museum’s hours of operation.
To learn more about visiting hours, ticket prices, and upcoming events, see the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum’s official website at OKC Memorial & Museum website
References:
Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Oklahoma City bombing. FBI History. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/oklahoma-city-bombing
Oklahoma Historical Society. (n.d.). Oklahoma City bombing. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=OK026
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. (2019). Recovery: The financial impact. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. https://memorialmuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/okcnm-recovery-the-financial-impact.pdf
Oklahoma Standard. (n.d.). Oklahoma Standard. https://oklahomastandard.com/about
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. (n.d.). Get tickets. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. https://memorialmuseum.com/museum/get-tickets/
National Park Service. (n.d.). Oklahoma City National Memorial gallery. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=1D9024E3-155D-451F-67C717BD2FFB735D
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. (n.d.). Survivor tree: Looking forward. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. https://memorialmuseum.com/artifact/survivor-tree-looking-forward/
