On April 19, 1995, a truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring hundreds more. It was, at the time, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in American history, and it shook the country’s sense of safety in a way that resonated deeply and lastingly. The Oklahoma City National Memorial now occupies the site of the Murrah Building and the adjacent grounds, managed jointly by the National Park Service and the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation. It is among the most carefully designed and emotionally resonant memorial spaces in the United States — a place that honors the dead, acknowledges the survivors, and creates room for reflection without demanding any particular emotional response.

The Gates of Time

The memorial’s outdoor symbolic center begins with two large bronze gates positioned at either end of the site along Fifth Street, which was the street running immediately adjacent to the Murrah Building. The gate on the east bears the inscription “9:01” and the gate on the west bears “9:03” — marking the minute before and the minute after 9:02 a.m., the precise moment the bomb detonated on April 19, 1995. Walking between the gates places you symbolically in the frozen moment of the explosion. The gates frame the Reflecting Pool and the Field of Empty Chairs beyond them, and they orient every element of the outdoor memorial along the axis of the street where the building once stood.

The Field of Empty Chairs

The 168 empty chairs arranged in nine rows on a gentle slope where the Murrah Building once stood are the memorial’s most visually affecting feature, and they are unforgettable. Each chair is a glass-and-bronze structure representing one person killed in the bombing. The chairs are arranged in nine rows corresponding to the nine floors of the building; each person’s chair occupies the row that corresponds to the floor where they were killed. Nineteen of the chairs are smaller than the others — representing the 19 children who died. At night, the chairs glow with an internal light that makes the field visible from a considerable distance. The effect of walking among the chairs, reading the names etched on their bases, and understanding the spatial relationship to where each person was when they died is both intimate and devastating.

The Survivor Tree and Reflecting Pool

The American elm tree now known as the Survivor Tree stood in the parking lot adjacent to the Murrah Building before the bombing. It was damaged — scarred by the blast, hung with debris, and at risk of removal during the immediate cleanup — but it survived. Today it is a living anchor of the memorial, its canopy providing shade over the south end of the site. The tree has become a powerful symbol: seedlings propagated from the Survivor Tree are sent to communities that have experienced tragedy as tokens of resilience. The Reflecting Pool between the gates is a shallow, perfectly still ribbon of water that mirrors the sky and the surrounding trees and creates a quieting effect at the center of the memorial.

The Memorial Museum

The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, operated by the memorial foundation in the adjacent Journal Record Building (itself damaged in the bombing), is one of the most comprehensive trauma-and-recovery museums in the United States. The museum walks visitors through the events of April 19, 1995 — the investigation, the rescue effort, the trial and execution of Timothy McVeigh — and the longer story of how survivors, family members, and the city rebuilt their lives. It uses artifacts, oral histories, and detailed exhibits to present both the human toll and the community response. The museum requires a separate admission ticket; plan at least 90 minutes. For current hours and admission rates, the official memorial site has up-to-date information.

Visiting Thoughtfully

The outdoor memorial grounds are open 24 hours a day and free to access. The museum is open during daytime hours with an admission fee. The memorial is located in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, within walking distance of the Bricktown entertainment district and easily reached by car or public transit. Early morning visits to the outdoor memorial, before the crowds arrive, allow for quiet reflection with the chairs and the Reflecting Pool largely to yourself. April 19 each year brings a solemn remembrance ceremony that draws survivors, family members, and the public from across the country.

For other national memorial sites and planning your visit to the broader National Park System, browse our Park Guides and Planning Tips sections. The NPS Oklahoma City National Memorial page provides additional historical background and visitor information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the memorial free to visit? The outdoor grounds are free and open 24 hours. The museum requires a separate admission ticket with its own operating hours.

What do the 168 empty chairs represent? Each chair represents one person killed in the bombing, arranged in nine rows corresponding to the building’s nine floors. Nineteen smaller chairs honor the children who died.

What is the Survivor Tree? An American elm that stood adjacent to the Murrah Building and survived the blast. Seedlings from the tree are shared with communities affected by tragedy as symbols of resilience.

What do the Gates of Time represent? The gates mark 9:01 and 9:03 — the minutes before and after the 9:02 a.m. explosion — placing visitors symbolically in the moment of before and after.