Oklahoma City National Memorial And Museum Celebrating 10 Years Honoring Lives Lost

Deanne Stein, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum will celebrate it's 10th birthday on Saturday, February 19. The celebration will allow Oklahomans and visitors a special day to remember one of the darkest days in Oklahoma's history.

When you walk through the Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum is hard to not shed a tear. In fact, it's a time some people may want to forget.

"The easiest thing would have been to leave the street open, rebuild the building and put up a plaque," said Kari Watkins with the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.

Instead, many Oklahomans decided to remember the lives lost in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. And they did it with a three-acre memorial and 50,000 square foot museum.

"It represents this incredible spirit of strength and resilience. There's no other place like it than Oklahoma," said Watkins.

In celebration of the 10th birthday of the museum, the public is invited to visit free of charge. While there, you can also listen to the museum builders, a survivor and rescue workers tell their stories.

And of course, have some cake and ice cream. But it's no ordinary cake. In fact, chef instructors and students from Platt College's Pastry Arts Program are designing the three dimensional cake, reflecting the building, survivors's tree, children's area and rescue workers orchard.

"We all remember that day in Oklahoma City and where we were, so to give back and do it in our medium of sugar, chocolate and cake, it's really rewarding for us," said Gene Letterman, chef instructor at Platt College.

It's the largest project the school has ever done, estimated to take 150 hours to complete. It's will be on display at the museum and served with 1,000 cupcakes and ice cream. But, aside from the party and the cake, the museum hopes Oklahomans will take time to visit and celebrate life and the accomplishments of the city.

"I think to people who say 'Oh, it's hard, I can't go down there, it's too tough,' I really encourage them to come and take the step, be proud of the story, it's their story," said Watkins.

View News 9's Interactive Timeline to learn more about the events leading up to and following the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building.