Press Releases

National Memorial Launches Cell Phone Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 25, 2008

Media Contact: Nancy Coggins, APR
405.235.3313 or 405.760.9053
nc@oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

NATIONAL MEMORIAL LAUNCHES CELL PHONE TOUR OF OUTDOOR SITE
Tour narrated by Memorial designers, funded by AT&T

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum has launched a new way for visitors to the historic site to learn about the design and the symbolism of the Memorial. All it takes is a cell phone, any time, day or night.

Visitors to the Memorial access this site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thousands of those visitors come at a time of day when they cannot experience the Memorial Museum or speak to a National Park Service Interpretive Ranger.

“This Cell Phone Tour provides Memorial visitors a deeper understanding of the bombing and its impact on this community and nation, and is available 24 hours a day, free of charge to visitors,” said Kari F. Watkins, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum executive director. “We are grateful to the AT&T Foundation for giving us the opportunity to engage visitors in the site using something the majority carries with them everywhere they go.”

The Cell Phone Tour features Memorial designers Hans and Torrey Butzer describing the symbolic features of the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial. The tour includes 20 stops with additional information available for several key stops on the tour. The tour is available by dialing a local phone number, 405.445.4792, from any point on the site. Visitors can use signage or available Visitor Guides to learn about symbols including the Survivor Tree, the Gates of Time, the Field of Empty Chairs, the Reflecting Pool, the Fence, the Rescuers’ Orchard, the Children’s Area, Journal Record Building and more.

"It is truly an honor for AT&T to assist in providing an innovative way for the hundreds of thousands of visitors to this important site to learn the lessons of the Memorial," said AT&T Oklahoma President Bryan Gonterman. "The Murrah building bombing made a permanent impact not only on thousands of Oklahomans, many of whom were our own employees, but on our great nation as well. We have long been supportive of the Memorial's efforts and are excited to be part of this great cause."

During a six-week testing period, the Cell Phone Tour was utilized by 391 unique callers from 44 different states. These callers made a total of 555 calls totaling more than 46 hours of use time on the tour.

“This is an incredible tool to be able to offer visitors, and we are grateful to the AT&T Foundation for making it available to them,” said Bill Scheihing, Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation Chair. “It shows the deep commitment AT&T has to integrating technology into applications that benefit this community and we thank them.”

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was created to honor “those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever” by the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The Memorial and Museum are dedicated to educating visitors about the impact of violence, informing about events surrounding the bombing, and inspiring hope and healing through lessons learned by those affected. The Memorial sees half a million people annually from all 50 U.S. states and an average of 92 different foreign countries.

The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is free of charge. The Memorial Museum is open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday, 1-6p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $6 for students (5-college with valid ID). Children under 5 are admitted free. Group rates and programs are available. Special exhibits are included in the cost of admission. Ticket sales end at 5 p.m. daily. The Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

For more information on the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, call (888) 542-HOPE or visit www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.

###

About Philanthropy at AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2007, AT&T contributed more than $164 million through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T, combine more than $1.9 billion of historic charitable commitment to communities across the country.

« Back to Press Releases | Archived Press Releases »