The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum reveals $12 million expansion project

The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum laid out plans for a $12 million expansion project in a news conference on Wednesday. 

Wednesday, January 29th 2025, 11:04 pm

By: Elizabeth Fitz


The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum laid out plans for a $12 million expansion project in a news conference on Wednesday. 

The name of the expansion is called “Foreword” and it will create space for five times more people in the lobby, according to the Memorial’s website

New Three-Story Structure

"A new three-story modern structure will be built against this historic building that on April the 19th was known then as the Journal Record Building,” the speaker at the conference shared. 

The building withstood the blast and has been the museum’s home since opening in 2001. 

Key Features of the Expansion

Foreword will add more than 12,700 sq. feet to the memorial, the museum’s website shared. 

“This is a $12 million project,” said John Kennedy, Chair of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation. 

Crews will bring in granite salvaged from the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building for the new floor of the lobby, the museum said. 

“Ascending glass elevators and a light-filled interior that visually connects to the outdoor memorial will contribute to a sense of hope that we today call Foreword,” said Hans E. Butzer, one of the project’s design architects. 

The space will also have salvaged artwork. 

“This addition will be very much about being welcoming-- to offer visitors a comforting place to learn more, not just about the events of April 19th, but about the impact and how this community responded,” Butzer explained. 

There will also be a new film studio, an expanded orientation gallery, a collaboration space, and a civics lab. 

Foreward  Foreward  Foreward  Landscape  Lobby        Orientation Lobby

To learn more about the project or how to contribute, click here.

Elizabeth Fitz

Elizabeth joined the News 9 team in October 2024.

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