The memorial section of the museum contained a room called the Gallery of Honor which honors the lives of the 168 who were killed . The families display personal photographs and artifacts of their loved ones.
When asked what children could do to help others, the First Lady Hilary Clinton suggested that they could write a letter expressing how they felt. These letters became known as DEAR OKLAHOMA CITY. Located near this display was a marble statue depicting an image of what the artist, New Yorker Miles Slater, saw and presented his work to the people of Oklahoma.
Outdoors led you to The Gates of Time which are monumental twin gates that frame the moment of destruction. 9:02am marks the formal entrances to the Memorial. The East Gate represents 9:01am on April 19 and the innocence of the city before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03am...the moment we were changed forever and the hope that came from the horror in the moments and days following the bombing. There is a reflecting pool between the gates with gently flowing water which is meant to help soothe wounds. In the background is the Field of Empty Chairs with each of 168 chairs representing a life lost with smaller chairs representing the 19 children...the chairs are arranged in nine rows, one for each of the nine floors of the building...each bronze and stone chair rests on a glass base etched with the name of the victim. By day, the chairs seem to float above their translucent bases...by night, the glass illuminates as beacons of hope.
Then there is the Survivor Tree which is a 90+ year old American Elm which bears witness to the violence of April 19 and now stands as a profound symbol of human resilience.
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