Currently at the Memorial & Museum

Mechanical Failure Causes Museum to Close - Timeline

February 04, 2009

After almost three weeks of restoration, the Memorial Museum reopens Thursday, February 5, at 9 a.m.

In a special Reopening Celebration, OKC Thunder players will be on hand to welcome visitors back Saturday, February 7, from 2:30-3:30 p.m., and the first 250 paid admissions Saturday will receive vouchers for free tickets to an upcoming Thunder home game.

This timeline shows the progress that was made each day in restoring the Museum to the condition it was in before a January 16 mechanical malfunction poured water into each floor of the exhibit galleries, the Archives and the Memorial's Center for Education & Outreach.

Day One - January 16, 2009 (Video)

A mechanical malfunction in an air handler this morning at the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum caused water to pour into the Memorial Museum, flooding several areas.

Day Two - January 17, 2009

Environmental expert and board member Steve Mason and Kristen Torkelson with Cardinal Engineering test water saturation in several areas of the Memorial Museum, one day after a major water leak damaged the Museum. Dehumidifiers and fans continue to operate, working to dry out the Museum as quickly as possible.

Day Three - January 18, 2009

Harrison Orr continued repair work on the HVAC unit today that malfunctioned on Friday and started the water leak that later closed the Memorial Museum. Heavy water damage was sustained in parts of the Museum. Blackmon Mooring handles the water removal and climate restoration.

Day Four - January 19, 2009 (Video)

Lippert Bros. Construction, our general contractor, is already on-site today, assessing infrastructural issues such as walls, ceilings, carpets, paint, fire-proofing and other issues which may have been affected by the water damage.

Day Five - January 20, 2009 (Video)

Memorial Foundation Trustees and Memorial architect Hans Butzer got a first-hand look at the damage caused by the flooding of the Memorial Museum.

Day Six - January 21, 2009 (Video)

Items that were taken from Archives to prevent water damage are being moved back into place, and environmental specialist Kristen Torkelson from Cardinal Engineering once again tested walls, floors and cases to check progress on drying. Lippert Bros. Construction workers drilled more holes in areas where water saturation.

Day Seven -January 22, 2009

Museum staff and volunteers continued the cleaning process today, taking advantage of the opportunity to deep clean exhibit cases, wiping water spots and film from panels, dusting and performing other neccessary duties. All the prep work being done by staff will expedite the final cleaning process once contractors are finished laying carpet, painting and restoring and replacing water saturated walls.

Day Eight - January 23, 2009

Deep cleaning of the Memorial Museum continues eight days after a mechanical malfunction led to substantial flooding in the exhibit areas, Archives and Memorial’s Center for Education & Outreach. Painters are now touching up walls that were damaged in the flood, contractors removed saturated walls and cleaning of artifacts and cases continues.

Day Eleven - January 26, 2009

The Memorial Museum has been declared “dry” by experts, and repairs have begun, eleven days after a mechanical malfunction in a rooftop air handler caused substantial flooding throughout the Museum. Painters are repainting water damaged walls and ceilings in exhibit areas, the Museum’s Archives and the Memorial’s Center for Education & Outreach.

Day Thirteen - January 28, 2009

Repairs inside the Memorial Museum continue in preparation for the Museum’s reopening.

Day Fourteen - January 29, 2009

Not One Artifact Lost
Each of the almost one million items preserved in the Memorial’s Archives is an irreplaceable reminder of a moment in time. Personal effects from survivors, family members and rescue workers are kept side-by-side with primary documents, courtroom files, evidence, images and textiles and artwork sent in support from around the world.

Day Fifteen - January 30, 2009

Conservator Assists With Preservation of Historic Beam
Conservator Victoria Book was brought in to stabilize an exposed beam, which was left as it was on April 19, 1995, in the historic Journal Record building that houses the Memorial Museum. The beam, originally installed in the building in the 1920s, was covered in plaster and painted. After the April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City bombing damaged the building, the rough edges and broken plaster of the beam exemplified the damage the building sustained and survived.

Day Eighteen - February 2, 2009

Blog: You always know these things can happen...
You always know these things can happen. In fact, you write disaster plans to guide you when disaster hits. But, you never really expect it to happen.

Day Nineteen - February 3, 2009

Preparations are almost complete for the Memorial Museum to reopen to the public Thursday, February 5. Local media were on hand today to see the artifacts being reinstalled and to see the restoration work.

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