The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum are dedicated to educating visitors about the impact of violence and sharing with them the events surrounding the bombing on April 19, 1995. It is one of the best memorial "parks" ever created. The design is flawless and tells the story beautifully. Outside is the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial. There you will see the field of empty chairs - one for each person who lost their life in the bombing. All of the chairs are in rows. This signifies which floor of the building the person was on when the bombing took place. There are five chairs off to the side which signify the five people who were not in the building, but who died as a result of the blast. The 24,000 square foot interactive learning Memorial Museum tells the story of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. You can hear the only known recording of the explosion and see the havoc that followed the bombing. There is also an area where you can learn about each of the individuals who died, see their pictures and tokens of love provided by the families of those individuals. It is a very moving part of the museum. Oklahoma City National Memorial honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. The outdoor Symbolic Memorial, which consists of the following segments on 3.3 acres, can be visited: The Gates of Time: Monumental twin gates enclose the moment of destruction - 9:02 - and mark the formal entrances to the Memorial. Reflecting Pool: Even with a lot of people visiting, this is a quiet and peaceful place. Children's Area: A wall of hand-painted tiles painted by children from all over the United States was sent to Oklahoma City in 1995 and is displayed in this area. Also, there are several chalkboards on the walkway to the museum where adults and children alike can share their feelings. The "Survivor Tree:" A 90 year old American Elm bears witness to the violence of April 19 and now stands as a profound symbol of human resilience. No one can change what happened that day, but everyone can benefit from understanding what took place and hopefully help prevent something like that from ever happening again. |
