Step inside The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, where exhibits, historic photographs, the sniper’s perch, and the grassy knoll tell the story of JFK’s assassination and legacy. Discover what to see, how long to allow, and why this powerful Dallas museum belongs on your Texas itinerary.
Most people have vivid memories of significant, historical events. Anyone can tell you where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, or on January 28, 1986, when the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff.
Those who are old enough to remember November 22, 1963, visit the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, TX, to learn about President John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) assassination.
Visiting the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is one of Dallas’ most visited attractions. It’s located at 411 Elm Street and is the former home of the Texas School Book Depository.
The building resembles other office buildings in Dallas’ West End. However, it’s recognized worldwide as the building where a sniper fired a shot from the southeast corner of the sixth floor and killed JFK.
In 1963, the depository occupied the entire seven-story building. The company’s offices and educational publishers’ regional offices were on the lower floors, and the upper floors served as a warehouse for textbooks, equipment, and machinery.
The 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository Company in November 1963. Photo by Marni Patterson
The Texas School Book Depository Company closed decades ago. The Sixth Floor Museum now occupies the first, sixth, and seventh floors, and the other floors serve as administrative offices for Dallas County.
Exploring Dallas’ Historic West End
The West End is a pleasant, historic neighborhood that’s often referred to as the “birthplace of Dallas.” The area is filled with small parks and restored brick buildings that house small restaurants, hotels, and businesses, as well as attractions like the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and the Dallas World Aquarium.
The Texas Book Exchange Building Then and Now. Photo courtesy of The Sixth Floor Museum
It’s hard to imagine the assassination and horrified spectators running every which way. The vision comes alive when you visit The Sixth Floor Museum and Dealey Plaza.
Inside The Sixth Floor Museum
A visit to The Sixth Floor Museum feels like a trip back in time. The red brick building looks the same as it did on November 22, 1963. During our visit, we met people from across the United States and many countries. All were interested in learning more about a president who had such a huge impact on the US and the world.
Pro Tip: Purchase your timed-entry tickets online in advance. Entry is scheduled by time, so booking ahead lets you choose a time that works with the rest of your Dallas itinerary.
The sniper’s perch at the southeast corner of the sixth floor is preserved amid randomly stacked boxes of textbooks. You can imagine the shooter biding his time with his rifle trained on Elm Street, waiting for the presidential motorcade. A marker shows where he rested his rifle.
The sniper’s perch on the sixth floor looks the same as it did on November 22, 1963. Photo by Marni Patterson
Six stories below, an “X” painted on Elm Street shows where JFK was shot. It’s barely noticeable unless you know where to look, and it disappears periodically when road crews resurface the street. However, it always returns. No sign explains its significance, but everyone knows what it means.
An “X” on Elm Street marks the place where JFK was assassinated. Photo by Marni Patterson
The dust on the windows overlooking Dealey Plaza is so thick that we couldn’t take good pictures of the grassy knoll. We speculated that it also dates back to 1963. Fortunately, a 10-foot-by-10-foot scale replica of Dealey Plaza shows how the assassination unfolded. The FBI originally built the model in 1964 for the Warren Commission to analyze bullet trajectories.
The FBI built the Dealey Plaza model for the Warren Commission. Photo by Marni Patterson
The museum also has audio recordings and video footage throughout, as well as pictures.
Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll
The grassy knoll looks like any other urban greenspace. People who live or work in the area stop by to walk their dogs or relax over lunch. A pergola dominates it, honoring Dallas founder John Neely Bryan.
Hundreds of people stood on the grassy knoll waiting for the presidential motorcade. Photo by Marni Patterson
Several benches and retaining walls held spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the president and first lady. They were among hundreds of people lining Elm Street waiting for the presidential motorcade. As we stood in their shoes, we could see the “X” on Elm Street, look at the southeast corner of the Sixth Floor Museum, and visualize the bullet’s trajectory. We could also imagine how onlookers like Abraham Zapruder must have felt when disaster struck directly in front of them.
Abraham Zapruder emigrated to the United States from Ukraine and started his own clothing manufacturing company in Dallas. His company’s offices were in the Dal-Tex Building across from the Texas School Book Depository.
He stood on a low concrete block at one end of the pergola, poised with his home movie camera to record the presidential visit, not realizing that he was about to film one of the most significant historical events in modern history. His footage of JFK’s limousine traveling through Dealey Plaza is still recognized as the most complete filmed account of the assassination.
Pro Tip: Allow 90 minutes to see all Sixth Floor Museum exhibits, and visit Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll.
JFK’s Assassination and a Nation in Mourning
JFK is recognized as one of the most popular presidents of the 20th century. According to a Gallup poll in late 1963, his approval rating was 58%—the highest of any post-World War II president—and he was likely to be re-elected in 1964.
His vision of a “new frontier” for America resonated with voters because it focused on economic growth, scientific advancement, domestic social reform, and foreign aid. His natural charisma helped him sell it.
Dallas residents welcome the president and first lady. Photo by Marni Patterson
He faced some challenges, like the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, there were also high points like the signing of the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty on nuclear weapons, the March on Washington, and the formation of the Peace Corps.
Many historians see his assassination as the time when America “lost its innocence” because it shattered people’s faith in institutions they trusted. The public had always seen presidents as superhuman. This reminded them that they’re human, just like anyone else.
News sources worldwide focused on the JFK assassination. Photo by Marni Patterson
It also changed the Americans’ perception of the media. For the first time in history, every news source was focused on a single story at the same time.
Personal Memories of November 22, 1963
Anyone old enough to remember JFK’s assassination can tell you what they recall about November 22, 1963. My husband’s and my memories reflect two distinct views of America’s reaction because of our ages and the different environments in which we were raised. My father’s experience is unusual because he heard about the assassination from reporters while on a business trip in Europe.
People worldwide were shocked when they heard about the JFK assassination. Photo courtesy of Time Magazine
A Second Grader in Texas
I lived in Houston, TX, and had just turned seven. When my second-grade class came in from our after-lunch recess, our teacher quietly told us to gather our things and go straight home. She didn’t explain why, but none of us questioned her, even though we sensed something was wrong. Besides, few kids argue when they get an unexpected afternoon off from school.
The news barely rippled through my WASP, upper-middle-class neighborhood. People were surprised and shocked, but it didn’t affect them deeply because few of them had voted for JFK. A few short months later, I’d see AUH20 bumper stickers on cars in just about every driveway as I rode my bike up and down our street.
Editor’s Note: AUH20 bumper stickers were used in the 1964 presidential election for Goldwater. Au is the chemical symbol for gold, while H20 is the chemical symbol for water. Ultimately, the Democratic candidate, President Lyndon B. Johnson, defeated Republican challenger Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater.
A Fourth Grader in Michigan
My husband’s experience in Jackson, MI, was much different. He was in fourth grade and would turn 10 in a few weeks. During afternoon recess, he and his friends heard a rumor that “someone had killed the President,” but they didn’t take it seriously because they couldn’t imagine something like that happening.
When his class came in from recess, the teacher shut the classroom door and fought back tears as she said, “Children, President Kennedy has been shot.”
Instead of dismissing class, she started a discussion by asking who they thought was behind the assassination. My husband was one of the few who could participate because his parents insisted that he read the newspaper and watch the news every day. He speculated that it might be Fidel Castro or the Russians. He also suggested it could be the mafia because Robert F. Kennedy, the Attorney General and JFK’s brother, had launched a crusade against organized crime.
My husband lived in a working-class neighborhood that was heavily Catholic. So, when he got home, he saw a very different scene than I did in my neighborhood. Many of his neighbors were crying in the street and hugging each other. Some were on the verge of hysteria. Many of them were convinced the country would fall apart and the world was coming to an end.
A Dinner Surprise in Germany
My father was on a business trip in Europe and happened to be in Germany on November 22nd. My uncle was stationed there, and they met for a late dinner.
JFK was shot at 12:30 PM Central Time, which would have been 7:30 PM in Germany. A few reporters heard my father and uncle speaking English, rushed to their table, and asked them to comment on the assassination. The news took them completely by surprise. They’d both been in meetings all day and didn’t know what had happened.
Why Visiting Historic Places Matters
We learn about historical events by reading books and watching movies, but being in a place where a world-changing event occurred is a completely different experience.
JFK thinking about problems and solutions in the Oval Office. Photo by Marni Patterson
We felt it at Kitty Hawk, where the Wright Brothers’ first successful flight took place; on the battlefields at Gettysburg and Gallipoli; while standing on the (former) rail platform at Auschwitz; and on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. We also felt it at The Sixth Floor Museum.
Planning Your Visit to The Sixth Floor Museum
The Sixth Floor Museum is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Wednesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Limited paid parking is available nearby. So, public transportation may be more convenient.
The Sixth Floor Museum is three blocks west of the West End DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) station and five blocks north of Union Station, which connects to the Trinity Railway Express (TRE).
If you plan to stay in the area, the Crowne Plaza-Downtown, the Hyatt Regency Dallas, and Courtyard by Marriott are a few blocks from the Sixth Floor Museum. Check out other accommodations in the area below.
Nearby restaurants include Chet’s, Jack Ruby’s Saloon & Grill, and The Exchange Hall.
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Discover More History and Culture in Dallas
A visit to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza is more than another stop on a Dallas itinerary. Standing where history unfolded brings the events of November 22, 1963, into startling focus and offers a deeper look at JFK’s life, legacy, and the memories Americans still carry decades later. When you’re ready to explore more, discover our favorite Dallas attractions and Texas travel experiences on Wander With Wonder and start planning your next wow moment.
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