Dallas, Texas: Located at the site of the Kennedy assassination, the former Book Depository building has been transformed into a museum, run by the Dallas County Historical Society. The museum uses original video and audio footage to narrate the events leading up to November 22, 1963. It also maintains a wide collection of Kennedy memorabilia, including medical records from the local hospital, media broadcasts, and photos taken in the aftermath of the shooting. Because the museum is located at the sight of the original trauma, it features a permanent exhibit in the alleged location of the sniper’s nest, overlooking Dealey Plaza. Visitors are able to gaze out at the grassy knoll, taking in the recreated sounds of a passing motorcade. The original windowpane through which the sniper took aim has been preserved and the area in which the rifle was found is also cordoned off, though the rifle itself is not on display. The museum has not received any support from the Kennedy family, and has been criticized by some as focusing exclusively on the death of the president. However, museum spokespeople assert that the exhibits aim to preserve and memorialize one of the most important events in modern American history.
