Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza facts for kids
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The Texas School Book Depository, now the Dallas County Administration Building
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| Established | February 20, 1989 |
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| Location | Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas (411 Elm Street Dallas, TX 75202) |
| Type | Historic |
| Visitors | 400,000 |
| Public transit access | DART 11,12,19,21,35,60,63,81/82,161,164, 283 |
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is a special museum in downtown Dallas, Texas. It is located on the sixth floor of a building that used to be called the Texas School Book Depository. From this spot, you can look out over Dealey Plaza. The museum teaches visitors about the life and legacy of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It also explores the events around his death and the life of Lee Harvey Oswald. The museum also looks at the different ideas people have about what happened.
The museum uses old films, photos, and items to show what happened on that day. It also explains the reports from government investigations that followed. The museum gets its money from donations and ticket sales. It does not get money from the government.
About the Museum
The Sixth Floor Museum was started by the Dallas County Historical Foundation. It first opened its doors on Presidents' Day, February 20, 1989. The museum helps people understand an important moment in American history.
A special webcam at the museum shows a live view from the sixth floor. This view is from the same spot where the shooting happened. The webcam is there to help people understand the history, not to celebrate the sad event.
What You'll See Inside
Inside the museum, you will find many interesting things. There are historic films and old photographs. You can also see real items from that time. These displays help to explain the events of the day President Kennedy died. They also show what happened after that tragic event. The museum helps visitors understand the lasting impact of this moment in history.
Special Films and Stories
In December 1999, the Zapruder family gave the museum the rights to the Zapruder film. This film is a very important home movie of the events. They also gave the museum one of the first copies made on November 22, 1963. The museum now controls all the rights to this famous film. The original film is kept safe by the National Archives and Records Administration.
In February 2007, a new film was shown to the public for the first time. This film was donated to the museum by George Jefferies and his son-in-law. It was a 40-second silent film in color. It showed President Kennedy's motorcade before the event. It also showed parts of Dealey Plaza the next day. The film showed a smiling Jacqueline Kennedy. It also showed President Kennedy's suit jacket looking a bit bunched up. This was about two minutes before he arrived at Dealey Plaza.
Remembering JFK
Over the years, the museum has had many special exhibits. It also has a collection of about 2,500 oral history recordings. These are stories told by people who remember that time. The museum also hosts speakers, including authors and people connected to President Kennedy.
For the 60th anniversary in November 2023, the museum held special events. They put up "JFK Was Here" banners along the route President Kennedy took. These banners helped to show the historical importance of these places. They reminded people of the city's sad and difficult day.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Sexto Piso en la Plaza Dealey para niños
