April 19, 1995 was one of the darkest days in Oklahoma City's history. On that day Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was attacked by Timothy McVeigh, subsequently killing 168 people. The site contains two parts, the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial and the museum itself. Inside the museum, you will see 168 empty chairs; one for each innocent victim, 19 of which included children. The most endearing tribute, however, is the part of the fence that has been left over from the makeshift memorial that stood here for five years after the attack. Today, visitors will see letters, photos, flowers and other precious sentiments left by survivors and visitors. Also prominently featured in the memorial is the Survivor Tree, it has become a symbol of hope to the people of Oklahoma City.
The Myriad Botanical Garden is a green oasis that offers space and serenity within the concrete urban sprawl of Oklahoma City's downtown. The gardens are spread across 17 acres (6.9 hectares), and the horticulturists often offer educational classes and workshops as well as just a place to relax. Upon entering, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory contains more than 2000 species of plants and in addition to permanent species, the gardens display rotating exhibits such as orchids and more exotic plants throughout the year. The Grand Event Lawn in the outer gardens and the Water Stage on the lake are frequently used for events like concerts, theater and movie screenings year-round.
This is OKC's primary destination for visitors seeking restaurants, bars, museums and places to entertain themselves. The historic district was formerly a place filled with warehouses and storage depots along the Bricktown Canal, however this industry has now departed and the buildings have been rehabbed and refurbished into stylish lofts and businesses. Highlights in the district include the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, the Tapwerks Ale House and it is just steps away from the Cox Convention Center and Chesapeake Arena. One of the coolest attributes of the neighborhood is the mode of transport; the water taxis zoom up-and-down the Bricktown Canal and drop visitors off at several stops along the way.
Science Museum Oklahoma is a center for learning with its Planetarium and a massive 70-foot (21 meter) diameter Dome Theater in addition to other hands-on, interactive galleries. Some of the museum galleries include the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame, the Kirkpatrick Air and Space Museum and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The Air and Space museum has one of the most complete collections of historic aviation memorabilia in the country. In addition to displays, the museum is available for birthday parties, corporate events and it even hosts several excursions and day-camps for students throughout the year.
The American West in all its glory and grandeur is captured in this 220,000 square feet (20,439 square meter) museum. There are hundreds of sculptures and thousands of paintings, photographs and artifacts from the Old West. The newest addition is the Joe Grandee wing, which features more than 5,000 artifacts. There is a life-size reproduction of a frontier town, a rodeo gallery, a cowboy gallery and a frontier soldier gallery. You will also see the largest collection of works by contemporary western artists, as well as the famous paintings of Frederick Remington.
The only skeleton museum in the United States, the Museum of Osteology is a great place for people of all ages to learn about phlanges, metatarsals and carpals. With over 400 skulls and 300 complete skeletons on display, the museum gives valuable insights into the skeletal makeup of humans as well as animals. Visitors can enjoy some hands-on learning at the Explorers Corner, where you can handle bones from various North American mammalian species. On your way out, the gift shop is a great place to get someone something unique.
The Myriad Botanical Garden is a green oasis that offers space and serenity within the concrete urban sprawl of Oklahoma City's downtown. The gardens are spread across 17 acres (6.9 hectares), and the horticulturists often offer educational classes and workshops as well as just a place to relax. Upon entering, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory contains more than 2000 species of plants and in addition to permanent species, the gardens display rotating exhibits such as orchids and more exotic plants throughout the year. The Grand Event Lawn in the outer gardens and the Water Stage on the lake are frequently used for events like concerts, theater and movie screenings year-round.
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art has more than 3000 works from 19th and 20th-century American artists. The highlight is a gallery that focuses on modern American art from the 1950s and 1960s, which includes work by Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Diebenkorn and Robert Indiana. Additionally, this art museum attracts wonderful traveling exhibits that are a must for connoisseurs. Guided tours are available for groups with ten or more people as long as the reservation is made two weeks prior to visit.
One of its kind, the American Banjo Museum is home to a vast collection of music, media, documents and memorabilia. all connected to this instrument with origins in Africa. With over 300 banjos alone, the museum boasts the largest public exhibition them in the world. The banjo is said to have been introduced to this country by African slaves as it had derived from a similar instrument. Over the centuries, the banjo has come to win the hearts of musicians and music fans everywhere, and is today used in a range of musical genres like jazz, folk music, country music and bluegrass music. A visit to this museum will tell you more about this mystical five-stringed melody-maker.
The Chesapeake Energy Arena is the premier venue in Oklahoma City for large events and entertainment. It is primarily known as the home of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, but it holds all kinds of other events as well. From major concerts with famous artists to arena shows like Disney on Ice and Walking with Dinosaurs, the Chesapeake Energy Arena has something for everyone.
Located in Downtown Oklahoma City, [Artspace] at Untitled helps to promote the local art scene through exhibitions featuring up-and-coming local artists. A non-profit organization, all shows here are completely free. The works on display here use a variety of different mediums, including photography and ceramics. The gallery also hosts a variety of one-time events where artists talk about their work in depth.
April 19, 1995 was one of the darkest days in Oklahoma City's history. On that day Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was attacked by Timothy McVeigh, subsequently killing 168 people. The site contains two parts, the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial and the museum itself. Inside the museum, you will see 168 empty chairs; one for each innocent victim, 19 of which included children. The most endearing tribute, however, is the part of the fence that has been left over from the makeshift memorial that stood here for five years after the attack. Today, visitors will see letters, photos, flowers and other precious sentiments left by survivors and visitors. Also prominently featured in the memorial is the Survivor Tree, it has become a symbol of hope to the people of Oklahoma City.