What’s a city to do when a sitting President of the United States is assassinated along its streets? Dallas, site of the John F. Kennedy shooting, built a memorial. The city’s John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza, located one block east of Dealey Plaza (the location of the Kennedy murder), was dedicated on June 24, 1970. Designed by the noted American architect Philip Johnson, the memorial serves as a symbolic representation of the Kennedy spirit. Simple but emblematic and with just Kennedy’s name inscribed in gold along one inside wall, the memorial is open to the sky and comprised of white pre-cast concrete, providing a somber tribute to the slain 35th president.

A much-needed restoration of the memorial occurred at the end of the 20th century and, to accommodate the public’s desire for an interpretation of the Kennedy assassination, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza was established in order to chronicle Kennedy’s legacy and untimely death. Located on floors six and seven of the former Texas School Book Depository building, the museum features both permanent and changing exhibitions. The sixth floor is also the location of the sniper’s perch, a spot that is an integral part of the permanent exhibition. Its view can also be accessed from the museum’s website via the “Dealey Plaza Cam”.