National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The memorial is located in lower Manhattan, at the site where the World Trade Center (once known as the Twin Towers) stood. Designed by American architect Michael Arad, the memorial is a set of two reflecting pools surrounded by a forest of white oak trees; the names of the victims are inscribed in bronze at the edges of the reflecting pools. The memorial opened in 2011, one day after the tenth anniversary of the tragic attacks.

The museum, meanwhile, was built underneath the memorial. It opened a few years later, in 2014. It is home to certain artifacts from September 11th, recordings — including emergency calls — from the day, photos of the victims, and other media that depicted the destruction wrought by the attacks. Its goal is to keep the story of September 11th alive.  

Museum Exhibits

The September 11th Museum is made up of two main exhibits: the Historical Exhibition, which explains what happened, and the Memorial Exhibition, which honors the individuals who died in the attacks.  

The Historical Exhibition is a multimedia interactive experience that acts as an ongoing archive of the day. It explores the acts of terror that occurred ahead of September 11, as well as how al-Qaeda came to be; then, it lays out the painful events of the day itself and the difficult clean-up and rebuilding efforts that followed for the whole country.  

The other permanent exhibit at this museum, the Memorial Exhibition, is a place for remembrance. Using artifacts, personal belongings, and photos, the Memorial Exhibition conveys the sheer size of the tragedy.  

You can read more about the museum’s full collection here.  

The Memorial 

Covering about eight acres, the Memorial is a peaceful tribute to the people who lost their lives on September 11th. There is an audio guide to the memorial available to all visitors, which is a 40-minute tour of the area and an overview of the tragedy. You can download the audio guide here.  

In the surrounding forest is the Survivor Tree, a pear tree that was badly damaged in the attack but later rehabilitated. It continues to stand today as a reminder of the country’s resilience and power for rebirth.  

How to Visit 

The museum is currently open to the public every day of the week except Tuesdays. Tickets to the museum cost between $17 and $29, and you can purchase them here. The museum’s hours are from 9:00am to 7:00pm, with the last entry at 5:30pm.

The memorial is open every day from 8:00am to 8:00pm. No tickets are required to visit the memorial. 

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a tribute to the 2,977 people who lost their lives after the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Visit this destination to remember the courage and sacrifice of the victims and the rescue workers who tried to save them.