This summer, participate in events that are meaningful at the Memorial and Museum – there are STEM lessons for students and families and Better Conversations for adults and teens.
Civic Season + Better Conversations
Participation is FREE and lunch is on us!
Civic Season is a tradition that unites our oldest federal holiday – Independence Day, and our newest Juneteenth. Its goal? To mobilize a movement to understand our past and shape our future. In 2025, Civic Season will highlight the power of community, focusing on local connections, shared stories, and empowering the next generation of leaders.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is hosting three weeks of inter-generational Better Conversations emphasizing the connections that power our democracy and tackling the issues facing our country!
The Civic Role of Athletics: How Sports Unite Communities
June 18, 11:30 to 1:00pm
Oklahoma City has seen Days of Darkness but has recently enjoyed Years of Light. From the NBA Finals with the OKC Thunder, the Memorial Marathon and the upcoming Olympics – these events have united Oklahomans on the world stage. How do we transfer that unity to the civic sector and how do sports play a role in bringing us together?
Hear from key people involved in all three of these major sporting events that call Oklahoma City home – and why #1OKC is key to helping us move forward.
What’s on Your Mind? Shaping our Future Together!
June 25, 11:30 to 1:00pm
Join us for a special version of Better Conversations that prioritizes YOUR voice.
Returning to the roots of the Better Conversations program developed in 2020, this isn’t a panel discussion or informational lecture. You will engage in hands-on, facilitated tabletop conversations that will focus on exposing concerns in our communities and problem-solving important challenges. Sit at a table with concerned citizens and community leaders ready to listen, identify roadblocks, and develop practical next steps together. Inspired by the 350-person Task Force that helped shape the Memorial in the years following April 19, 1995, the goal is to use the power of conversation to build community and shape our future.
Decode the Disconnect: The Impact of Body Language and Communication Style
July 2, 11:30 to 1:00pm
Are you ready to make a difference but are having trouble bridging the gap? Feeling misunderstood or worse just shouting into the abyss? The key to opening doors is speaking in a way that builds trust, and forms relationships. At the foundation of strong communities is effective communication – across cultural, generational, and ideological divides – and it is essential to peaceful, democratic action.
As the final session of our Civic Season Better Conversations series, join renowned communication and leadership expert, Heather Lisle, to work on the skills you need to be more effective as we communicate and have civil discourse. Heather has 25 years of experience equipping people with the tools to influence, connect, and will show how to communicate with impact. At the conclusion of the program, Heather will be available to sign her new book, Hold the Pineapple, Please: Purposeful Conversations That Build Better Teams & Bottom Lines, available for purchase at the event.
Better Conversations is supported by the Kirkpatrick Foundation.
Summer STEM Series
STEM Careers are as essential as they’ve ever been.
This summer, experience our state-of-the-art Uncover-Discover STEM Lab as we explore how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) were critical in the rescue, recovery, investigation, justice and healing in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing.
A three-part series, each session includes 3-hours of impactful lessons. Choose your favorite or come to all three. Bring the entire family (parents and guardians are free!) or drop your students off with Memorial Educators (unaccompanied students must be 12 or older).
Snacks provided. Day-of admission to the Museum is free with Summer STEM Series participation, so you can build a self-guided tour into your day before or after the event.
August 4 – Forensic Science
August 5 – Environmental Science
August 6 – Structural Engineering
