The Sixth Floor Museum — Photo courtesy of The Sixth Floor Museum
Dallas history lovers have the opportunity to take a unique look back in time at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. And November is the perfect time to plan a trip there, as it's the anniversary of the infamous JFK assassination (along with the surrounding conspiracy theories). A trip to Dallas simply isn't complete without a trip to this historic spot.
Beginning in November 2015, a new exhibit, Portraits: History Lived, will be unveiled. This exhibit will be featured on the seventh floor and is a collaboration between the museum, several eyewitnesses and The Dallas Morning News.
The series includes current photographs of people who were in Dallas that fateful week – some witnessed the assassination, while others saw some part of the Kennedys' trip to Dallas. This exhibit will be on display for three months only.
Located in the former Texas School Book Depository building, the Sixth Floor Museum examines the life, times, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. The impressive (and extensive) collection there includes nearly 45,000 photographs, artifacts, interpretive displays, interviews with witnesses and award-winning videos that chronicle the historic chain of events preceding the assassination on November 22, 1963.
Museum visitors also have the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of interactive educational programs on the sixth and seventh floors. One of the most prominent exhibit areas there includes the Plexiglass-enclosed spot where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired the shots heard around the world.
This exhibit is located in the southeast corner of the sixth floor, and it has been accurately recreated based on the crime scene photos. It's complete with the three spent cartridge shells on the floor, and it also features interactive touchscreens that overlook Dealey Plaza to give a unique perspective of this historic site.
Exhibits — Photo courtesy of The Sixth Floor Museum
Another popular exhibit is the Trip to Texas, which features a short video that highlights the complex political and social atmosphere of Dallas in 1963, as well as the cheering crowds throughout the Kennedys' visit.
After a contemplative walk through the building, be sure to include a walk across the street to the grassy knoll at Dealey Plaza.