April 19th, 1995 9:02am.
The Oklahoma City Bombing,
An act of domestic terrorism responsible for taking the lives of 168 people and wounding more than 680 others.
This evening we’re spending time at the site of the bombing, and the memorial which now stands in its place.
Hours of Operation
The museum closes at 6:00pm.
Arriving at 4:50, we take our time parking and reach the museum doors at 5:10…
…only to learn that the doors actually close at 5:00pm!! …something not very clearly mentioned online 🙁
We miss being able to go inside the museum, but the grounds of the memorial are still very enjoyable to walk around.
Two end gates symbolize the time before and after the 9:02am explosion.
9:03am represents the moment we were changed forever.
A distant oak tree bore witness to the events on April 19th, 1995 and withstood the full blast.
In the middle of the memorial lies the reflecting pool, which represents N.W. Fifth Street, and the spot of the explosion.
One chair stands for each individual killed in the bombing… 19 smaller chairs for each of the children.
One large wall segment is the only thing that remains of the original building.
Outside the memorial is a 200 foot stretch of fence, left from the original site, where people continue to hang tokens of love and hope.
The rain paints somber expressions on the animals… striking us with the seriousness of the events here.
The memorial is a worthwhile experience, even without entry to the museum.
Appreciating life is also to realise its frailty.
