Complete Guide to Oklahoma City National Memorial in OKC, Oklahoma including history, things to do, nearby lodging, directions, and so much more.
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Oklahoma City National Memorial
The Oklahoma City National Memorial honors the 168 people killed in the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. History. Along with the survivors, rescue workers, and those changed forever by this tragedy.
On April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was destroyed when a bomb was detonated.
The OKC memorial was dedicated in 2000 on the anniversary of the attack 5 years before. The memorial consists of the Gates of Time, encapsulating 9:02 am the moment of the explosion.
About the Memorial
There is a field of 168 empty chairs representing the individuals who passed away from the Oklahoma City bombing and the loss felt by family members.
The chairs are located where the building once stood.
A reflecting pool, a survivor's wall, and an American elm that was damaged in the blast but survived.
The children's area is filled with hand-painted tiles sent by children around the country.
The rescuer's orchard is a grove of trees around the survivor tree.
Is Oklahoma City National Memorial worth visiting?
Yes, the Oklahoma City National Memorial is definitely worth visiting. The memorial is a powerful tribute to the victims, survivors, and rescuers of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and it provides visitors with a solemn and emotional experience.
Visiting the memorial can be a humbling and thought-provoking experience, and it serves as an important reminder of the need for peace, understanding, and unity in the face of tragedy.
History of Oklahoma City National Memorial
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It honors the victims, survivors, and rescuers of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
The event that took place on the morning of April 19, 1995, was the deadliest act of homegrown terrorism in U.S. history.
Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck in front of the north side of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, loaded with explosives.
At 9:02 am the bomb exploded. One-third of the building was reduced to rubble. Hundreds of buildings nearby were damaged as well.
168 innocent Americans lost their lives, including 19 children from the daycare center that was located on the second floor. 684 others were injured.
Due to the World Trade Center bombing in New York City, just 2 years earlier, the country instantly believed the evil must have come from Middle Eastern terrorists. That bombing killed six people and injured thousands of others.
By April 20th, investigators had found the rear axle of the rental truck which held the explosives. They were able to trace that piece back to a body shop in Kansas.
After body shop employees created a composite of the man who rented the van, a hotel clerk in the Kansas town was able to narrow the identification down to one man: Timothy McVeigh.
On April 21, investigators learned that McVeigh was already in jail, pulled over because of a missing license plate just 90 minutes after the bombing.
One of the most exhaustive investigations in U.S. history, the FBI conducted more than 28,000 interviews, followed over 40,000 leads, and reviewed nearly a billion pieces of information.
It was determined that Terry Nichols, a friend of McVeigh’s, had helped him plan the attack and that a man named Michael Fortier had known about the plan.
McVeigh entered the United States Army at age 20 in 1988. He served in the Gulf War and gave numerous interviews, post-attack, on his disgust with U.S. foreign policy and taxes. McVeigh’s extremist ideologies were further fueled by the events at Waco, Texas just two years earlier.
The Waco siege was a 51-day standoff between federal agents and members of a religious group called the Branch Davidians.
Leader David Koresh was wanted on numerous charges in addition to the illegal interests of the cult. The FBI drew criticism for a deadly raid that took place at that location.
The hatred that Timothy McVeigh held for the government, grew. His attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was carried out on the second anniversary of the Waco siege.
Just months after the attack, Oklahoma City mayor Rick Norick began plans for a memorial at the spot where the federal building once stood.
In October 1997, President Bill Clinton established the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The total cost was just over $29 million.
The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial was dedicated on April 19, 2000, and the museum on February 19, 2001. The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial lies on 3.3 acres and consists of multiple sites.
The Gates of Time are twin bronze gates that symbolize the times that morning of the last moment of peace, the moment of destruction, and the moment recovery efforts began.
There is also a Reflecting Pool located here.
Outside each of the bronze gates is the following inscription:
We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.
The Field of Empty Chairs is the site of 168 empty chairs made of glass, bronze, and stone with each victim’s name etched in a chair.
The Survivor’s Wall is the only partial piece remaining of the original Federal Building. The names of more than 600 survivors from the attack are seen here.
The Survivor Tree is located on the north side of the memorial. This American elm tree was heavily damaged in the blast but survived and grew.
The Memorial Fence is a 10-foot tall chain link fence that surrounds The Reflecting Pool and Field of Empty Chairs. It is a place where letters and gifts can be left by visitors.
The Children’s Area showcases more than 5,000 tiles painted and decorated by children from all over the country as well as from Canada.
Along with the museum, the city also remembers the victims as well as the brave rescuers of the tragedy each year with the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
Since April 2001, runners have lined up to compete in this race. At its start, nearly 5,000 runners ran through the route in the city’s downtown district.
Today, the marathon records nearly 25,000 runners each year; runners from all over the world. As with other tragedies and attacks in the history of the United States, Americans ensure that the lives of the innocent are never forgotten.
Things to know before your visit
Entrance fee
$0.00, There is no fee to visit the outdoor memorial
$15.00 to enter the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum which is owned and operated by the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Time Zone
Central Time Zone
Pets
Only service animals are allowed on the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial or in the Memorial Museum.
Pets are not allowed.
Cell Service
We had great cell service while in the park.
Park Hours
The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Wi-Fi
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum offers free WiFi access. Click on "Memorial_Museum" in your Wi-Fi app to connect.
Insect Repellent
Insect repellent is always a great idea when outdoors, especially if you are around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.
Water Bottle
Make sure to bring your own water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Parking
There is street parking near the Memorial along with parking garages.
Food/Restaurants
There are no restaurants within the park. There are a ton of epic Oklahoma City restaurants nearby.
Gas
There are no gas stations within the park.
Drones
Drones are not permitted within National Park Sites.
National Park Passport Stamps
National Park Passport stamps can be found in the visitor center. If you don't see them out you may need to ask at the desk for a stamp.
We like to use these circle stickers for park stamps so we don't have to bring our passport book with us on every trip.
The National Park Passport Book program is a great way to document all of the parks you have visitied.
You can get Passport Stickers and Annual Stamp Sets to help enhance your Passport Book.
Electric Vehicle Charging
There are 52 public charging stations in the 15 km radius of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Details about Oklahoma City National Memorial
Size - 3.3 acres
Check out how the park compares to other National Parks by Size.
Date Established
The Oklahoma City National Memorial Outdoor Symbolic Memorial was dedicated on April 19, 2000, by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Visitation
The park currently does not share visitation statistics.
Learn more about the most visited and least visited National Parks in the US
National Park Address
301 NW 6th Street, Suite 305
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-0676
Where is Oklahoma City National Memorial?
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum are located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave in Oklahoma City, OK.
Estimated distance from major cities nearby
- Tulsa, OK - 106 miles
- Wichita, KS - 160 miles
- Plano, TX - 203 miles
- Garland, TX - 212 miles
- Fort Worth, TX - 200 miles
- Arlington, TX - 212 miles
- Dallas, TX - 207 miles
- Lubbock, TX - 347 miles
- Kansas City, MO - 353 miles
- Austin, TX - 388 miles
Estimated Distance from nearby National Park
Hot Springs National Park - 306 miles
Big Bend National Park - 619 miles
Gateway Arch National Park - 499 miles
Mammoth Cave National Park - 759 miles
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - 872 miles
Where is the National Park Visitor Center?
There are roving park rangers that walk around the outside memorial. You can also talk to someone inside the Memorial Museum.
Getting to Oklahoma City National Memorial
Closest Airports
- Will Rogers World Airport (OKC / KOKC)
International Airports
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW / KDFW)
- Tulsa International Airport (TUL / KTUL)
Regional Airports
- Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW / KLAW)
- El Reno Regional Airport (KRQO / RQO)
- Shawnee Regional Airport (SNL / KSNL)
Driving Directions
From the South (Dallas, Normal)
Take I-235 North to the 3rd exit, Harrison Avenue. You will see a brown sign that reads “Oklahoma City National Memorial Next Exit”
Exit and turn right onto 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
From the West (Amarillo, I-40 & Meridian hotel area or airport)
Take I-40 East to the Western Ave. exit
Exit Western Ave.
Go North on Western Ave. to 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
From the East (Arkansas, Tinker Air Force Base, Muskogee Lake Area)
Take I-40 West to I-235 North
Take I-235 North to the 3rd exit, Harrison Ave. You will see a brown sign that reads “Oklahoma City National Memorial Next Exit”
Exit and turn right onto 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
From the North (Wichita, Guthrie)
Take I-35 South to I-44 West
Take I-44 West to I-235 South
Take I-235 South to the 6th St. exit. You will see a brown sign that reads “Oklahoma City National Memorial Next Exit”
Exit and turn right onto 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
Turn right onto 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
From Tulsa (Turner Turnpike)
Exit the Turnpike in the far left lane, where the Turnpike (I-44) merges with I-35
Take I-35 South to I-44 West
Take I-44 West to I-235 South
Take I-235 South to the 6th St. exit. You will see a brown sign that reads “Oklahoma City National Memorial Next Exit”
Exit and turn right onto 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
From I-44 WEST (H.E. Bailey Turnpike, Lawton, Ft. Sill)
Follow I-44 East to I-40 East
Take I-40 East to the Western Ave. exit
Exit Western Ave.
Go North on Western Ave. to 6th St., the Memorial & Museum is located at 6th St. and Harvey Ave.
Best time to visit Oklahoma City National Memorial
The best time to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial is in the spring or fall when the weather is mild and comfortable for outdoor activities.
Additionally, the memorial can be quite crowded during the summer months and on weekends, so visiting during weekdays or early morning/late afternoon can help avoid the crowds. It's also recommended to visit during the daytime to fully appreciate the outdoor memorial and its symbolism.
However, if you are interested in attending the annual Remembrance Ceremony, which takes place on April 19th to commemorate the anniversary of the 1995 bombing, then that would be the best time to visit.
Weather and Seasons
The hot season begins from June 5th to September 15th, with an average daily high temperature above 85 degrees.
The cold season begins from November 25th to February 23rd, with an average daily high temperature below 58 degrees.
The snowy season usually begins from November 25th to February 22nd, with snowfall of at least 1 inch a month. January gets the most snow, with an average snowfall of 2.1 inches.
Best Things to do in Oklahoma City National Memorial
We suggest planning a minimum of a few hours to visit the memorial especially if you plan to explore the museum.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum are located right next to each other. You can take a self-guided tour of the outdoor memorial site.
Outdoor Memorial
The outdoor memorial is beautiful while still being poignant and heart-wrenching.
This is an area to reflect on what happened and to think about the courage and bravery that led people to run towards the disaster to help people.
Junior Ranger Program
You can pick up a junior ranger program from one of the National Park Service rangers that walk around the grounds.
They may have to run into the museum to get one but they can easily make sure you have one or you can download the booklet before your visit.
The Junior Ranger program does a great job of helping kids and adults understand what happened at the site in a way that is not overwhelming or hard to process.
Rangers are available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Gates of Time
The Gates of Time is found at each end of the reflecting pool. They show the minute before and minute after the bomb was detonated at 9:02 am.
Reflecting Pool
The Reflecting Pool now fills the area that was once N.W. Fifth Street. The water gently moves to provide soothing sounds and comfort while reflecting on what happened.
Field of Empty Chairs
There are 168 empty chairs to represent the lives that were taken on April 19, 1995. The chairs sit in nine rows to designate the nine floors of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
Each person's chair shows the name of a victim of the bombing in the glass base of each chair. The nineteen smaller chairs represent the children that were killed in the attack.
Survivors Wall
The Survivors Wall is the only wall left standing from the Murrah Federal Building. You can see more than 600 survivor names that have been engraved on a piece of granite from the Murrah Building.
The Survivor Tree
The Survivor Tree is not to be missed! The American Elm withstood the force of the attack and continues to stand today. There is a platform surrounding the tree and interpretive panels about the tree. You can see down over the entire monument from the Survivor Tree.
The tree is a symbol of strength and encourages each of us to grow even with the impact of violence in the world.
Children's Area
The Children's Area is next to the entrance to the National Memorial Museum. You can see tiles that were sent to Oklahoma City by children around the world.
The Fence
The fence was initially constructed to protect the area around the Murrah Building. As soon as the fence was constructed people started leaving tokens of love and peace.
There have been more than 60,000 items left on the fence since it was constructed.
There are still 200 feet of fence standing near the Memorial Museum entrance on the street. People still leave tokens and items to remember those lost and who survived.
Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum
The OKC National Memorial Museum is not part of the National Park Service affiliated site but is part of the complex.
The museum can easily take all day to visit depending on how much time you want to spend. There are hundreds of minutes of videos you can watch, a ton of displays, and interactive displays.
One thing you should know is the first part of the exhibit can be a bit overwhelming. You are led into a room and you listen to a recording of what happened during a meeting held when the bomb went off.
If you get claustrophobic or have kids with you this can be a bit overwhelming.
Once you are through this part of the exhibit it is set up like a normal museum or memorial. There are places to sit and soak in what you are seeing.
The museum does an amazing job of showing the impact of the bombing on Oklahoma City, the victims, and survivors, and how the world responded to the event.
How to beat the crowds in Oklahoma City National Memorial?
We suggest arriving early in the day or visiting during a weekday. We have visited the memorial multiple times and it is easy to maneuver around any large groups you may encounter.
Where to stay when visiting Oklahoma City National Memorial
There are no National Park Lodges within the park.
Nearby OKC lodging includes:
The National, Autograph Collection - 4-star hotel. You can look forward to designer stores on site, a coffee shop/café, and a hair salon at The National, Autograph Collection. Be sure to enjoy a meal at any of the 4 onsite restaurants, which feature Italian cuisine and more. In addition to dry cleaning/laundry services and 4 bars, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.
The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City - 4-star historic hotel. You can look forward to dry cleaning/laundry services, a bar, and a 24-hour gym at The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Park Ave Grill, the onsite restaurant. Free Wi-Fi in public areas and a business center are available to all guests.
Colcord Hotel Oklahoma City - 4.5-star luxury hotel. Located close to Prairie Surf Studios and Oklahoma State Fair Arena, Colcord Hotel Oklahoma City, Curio Collection by Hilton provides a terrace, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a fireplace in the lobby. The onsite American cuisine restaurant, FLINT, features garden views and brunch. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar and a 24-hour gym.
Wyndham Grand Oklahoma City Downtown - 4-star hotel. Located close to Paycom Center and Oklahoma State Fair Arena, Wyndham Grand Oklahoma City Downtown provides a terrace, a coffee shop/café, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Treat yourself to a deep-tissue massage, reflexology, or a facial at The Spa at 10 North, the onsite spa. Be sure to enjoy a meal at 10 North Grille, the onsite restaurant. Stay connected with free Wi-Fi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar and a 24-hour gym.
Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel - 4-star hotel. Consider a stay at Sheraton Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel and take advantage of a bar, a 24-hour gym, and a 24-hour business center. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Block 23, the onsite restaurant. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
Click on the map below to see additional lodging and vacation rentals near the park.
Camping
There are no National Park Campgrounds within the park.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
Additional Resources
Check out all of the top things to do in Oklahoma City during your visit!
Parks Near Oklahoma City National Memorial
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Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
Fort Smith National Historic Site
President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Check out all of the Oklahoma National Parks and neighboring Texas National Parks, Arkansas National Parks and National Parks in New Mexico
Check out all 30 US National Memorials overseen by the National Park Service.
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