Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

April 19th, 1995. I had just gotten out of bed at about 8:30. It was my day off. I was awake because my neighbor Charlie was an early riser and he like to work on things in his driveway. It didn't bother me that much. Charlie also like beer and he would start early sometimes. That morning, I thought he had drunk a few too many and rammed his truck into the side of our house. Not sure why that scenario was my first thought, but it was. I went outside to look expecting the side of our house to be smashed in, but there was nothing there. It wasn't an earthquake. It was like something big hit the house. Little did I know, ten miles away a bomb had gone off at the Murrah Building in downtown OKC. Ten miles away and I felt it that hard. Some felt it much further away, but I heard about that much later.

I turned on the radio since cell phones weren't a big thing yet and I didn't have a television. KATT's morning show had stopped regular programming to talk about what was happening. They said where it was and I panicked because my wife worked about 3 blocks away from the blast site. I didn't know downtown very well and I didn't know how big the radius was so I got in my truck and drove the 10 miles at the highest speed I felt comfortable driving. I got to the rehab hospital where my wife worked. Thankfully she was fine even though the building itself looked like it had shifted. Later discovery would find that it had. After I made sure my wife was okay, I walked toward the destruction. I knew I needed to help even if I didn't know how or what I was going to do.

It was a madhouse for obvious reasons. Firefighters and Police had already blocked entry so there was nobody going in. I was still in panic mode so I don't remember who I helped, but I know I comforted people crying, got a few folks some water, pointed people in the right direction, and helplessly looked on while service people did the bravest things I had ever seen in real life. Eventually, everyone was asked to vacate the area, so I left. But the two way radios crackling with updates, sirens blaring in the distance, and people shouting were forever imprinted in my brain.

When I entered the Oklahoma City Memorial Grounds, I felt the gravity of site. It had been thirty years since I had been on this particular block downtown. I toured the outside area with the reflection pool and memorial chairs, the spray painted wall and the survivor tree. It was beautiful, quiet, and poignant. However, what awaited me inside the museum, I wasn't prepared for.

People were cheerfully getting tickets and museum workers were excited I was there. I wasn't so sure. They put me on an elevator to the second floor. When I got up there it wasn't too alarming. It was quiet room with some information about what agencies were housed in the Murrah Building. A bit of history about racism. Then, I saw the room where a recording would play of the Water Commission hearing that was being recorded at the time the bomb went off. I froze. I couldn't bring myself to go into the small room to hear that. The tour would continue through that room and out the other side, but since I didn't go in the room, I stood outside. I must have looked confused because a museum employee told me which way to go and I said I didn't want to. They let me through a different door so I could continue the tour. Once I got in the next phase of the tour, the sounds started. Playing in the halls were the sounds that I had heard as I stood looking at the demolished building. Every emotion from the morning of April 19th, 1995 came flooding back from the depths of my mind. Cue the panic attack. I wanted to get pictures for this blog, but I also wanted to get the hell out of that building as fast as I could. I eventually made it out. I think that wins the shortest time spent in a museum award for me.

I understand needing to have this museum. People need to know what happened here. What should have happened and what didn't. I personally know people that survived that event. They were burned to chairs or lost fingers or can't hear. They have the actual scars. I have onlooker memories that don't even remotely compare. Even so, it was difficult for me to visit this museum. I've been conflicted about what to write for this museum. I didn't want to just shout "This triggered me!" but I thought I should say the truth about my experience here rather than just post the pictures and say everything was sunshine and daisies. I hope it's not an offensive or off putting review for anyone.

Also, it's one of the only National monuments or museums to charge an entrance fee, $18 for adults. Sometimes these national monuments can quickly and easily fall into decay and they could benefit from the revenue of an entrance fee. So I'm not totally put off by the admission fee. It just wasn't expected. Visit this museum. Definitely go. Be aware, though, that emotions could run high.

620 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City

405-235-3313

Paid parking north of the museum

Jonathan Elmore ©2025