Press Releases

SpiritBank Gift Lets Oklahomans Visit Museum FREE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 25, 2007

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

SPIRITBANK & MEMORIAL ANNOUNCE
“REFLECTING ON OKLAHOMA’S SPIRIT: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION”
SpiritBank donates November admission for all Oklahomans to
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 25) – The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will offer free admission to every Oklahoma resident during November thanks to the generosity of locally-owned SpiritBank.

“The experience the Memorial Museum offers is a reflection of Oklahoma’s triumphant spirit and resilience over “It is an honor for SpiritBank to be a part of sharing the gift of the museum with our fellow Oklahomans during our Centennial,” said Kelly. >

A leading attraction in Oklahoma, the Memorial Museum receives thousands of visitors from every state in the nation and dozens of foreign countries monthly. Tour groups also make the memorial and museum one of their top destinations. Admission is normally $10 for adults and $6 for children.

Interestingly, less than 20% of Museum attendance is comprised of Oklahomans, something SpiritBank and Kari Watkins, the Memorial’s executive director, seek to change.

“It’s not unusual for visitors to describe their time experiencing the museum’s exhibits as deeply moving and inspiring,” said Watkins.

“My hope is all Oklahomans will take advantage of this gift from SpiritBank and share in that experience,” said Watkins.

Oklahomans who have previously visited are also welcome to take advantage of the free admission and all are encouraged to visit as many times as they would like during November.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was created to honor the victims, the survivors, the rescue workers and all of those affected by the 1995 bombing that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building. The memorial and museum are dedicated to preventing violence by educating visitors about its impact and inspiring hope and healing through the lessons learned by those affected by it.

The 30,000-square-foot museum, opened in 2001 just nine months after the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial area was dedicated, is housed adjacent to the memorial in the Journal Record building that was damaged in the blast but left standing. Its exhibits take visitors on a chronological, self-guided tour told in chapters, housing artifacts, recordings, world news coverage of the event, a children’s area, and more. Visitors generally spend around one-and-a-half to two hours going through the exhibits, much longer than they anticipate first going in, Watkins said.

“If you ever travel to this part of the world, we recommend a visit to this inspiring place,” wrote a recent visitor to the U.S. about the museum and memorial in a travel review on the Internet.

Augmenting the museum’s permanent exhibit is an exhibit on loan through Dec. 15 from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia entitled “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War.” It chronicles Lincoln’s struggle to preserve the Constitution and a nation in turmoil. Included in the exhibit is Lincoln’s trademark stovepipe hat, interactive displays, actual artifacts and multi-media presentations.

For more information about taking advantage of the SpiritBank gift, called “Reflecting on Oklahoma’s Spirit: A Centennial Celebration,” visit the Web site www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/CentennialSpirit .

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SpiritBank, a community bank based in Bristow, Okla., has 17 branches statewide. The bank, founded in 1916, has assets exceeding $1 billion and more than 340 employees. It is the second largest privately held bank in the state. More information is available at http://www.spiritbank.com/

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Mission Statement preamble: We come here to remember
those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

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