The 9/11 Memorial and Museum honors those who we lost on that fateful day in 2001. Opened in July of 2014, years after 9/11, the museum is built on the actual spot where the twin towers stood. It is a place of dignity, where respect is paid to all those who lost their lives or aided others and survived. Here are some highlights of our somber visit.
The Reflecting Pools
Your first glimpse of the memorial is the two reflecting pools. These sit in the “footprint” of the twin towers.
The waterfalls and pools are lined with bronze panels engraved with the names of everyone who died in the 1993 and 2001 attacks. Standing in the presence of this vast roll call of names, you begin to realize the extent of the loss on 9/11. This was the largest loss of life from a foreign attack on American soil, as well as the greatest loss of rescue personnel in the history of America.
The Tridents and Entry
Entering the museum, you go down a ramp watched over by the towering tridents. These are 70 feet high and were a part of the North Tower. They were moved to the museum area in 2010.
An audio guide tells about many stops in the museum. You can rent one in the entrance hall, or you can download the 9/11 Memorial Museum app and listen on your phone. I did this before I left for New York, and it worked well.
Foundation Hall
Here you see the slurry wall of the North Tower that held back the river and the Last Column. This is the final steel beam left standing at Ground Zero. It’s signed by rescue personnel and those who helped move it to this hall in 2013. Today, it’s a symbol of resilience. As one of the scribbled tributes to the lost and the helpers reads: “God bless them all.”
“We Remember”
Moving down by escalator, you pass the Survivor Stairs. These are the actual stairs people descended to emerge onto the street.
In the center is the memorial wall of blue tiles. The artist studied weather records and made a tile of each color of the sky on 9/11.
Ladder Company 3 Truck
Assigned to rescue those in the North Tower, Ladder Company 3 arrived and all 11 firefighters entered the building. They all lost their lives, and their truck is on display as a remembrance.
Mangled Steel
This is called Impact Steel and is the point of the outside of the North Tower where the plane hit floors 93 through 99.
This steel beam bent back on itself in the collapse of the tower. It weighs 8 tons and has no cracks. Even steel workers are amazed.
The Survivor Tree
One pear tree stood still living in the rubble of the towers. With its broken branches and roots, it was dug up and transplanted outside what is now the memorial and museum. It flourishes among the many other trees now planted in the plaza. After spending hours in the sobering 9/11 Memorial and Museum, we came outside to stand under this tree, which, as the museum says, is a “living reminder of resilience, survival, and rebirth.”
If You Go:
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is open daily.
Hours: Sunday through Thursday – 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
You can order tickets in advance online or use a New York City Pass to prepurchase tickets at a discount and go to the front of the line. This is what we did and it worked well.
31 Comments
I haven’t been to the museum, but saw the memorial right as it was opening. It is so powerful!
We were there in 2014 but the museum hadn’t yet opened.
I don’t think the horror of that day will ever be diminished.
Thank you for sharing these moving photos at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-beautiful-city-of-jaffa.html.
May God bless those who survived, those who were lost, and their families.
So heartbreaking! I’ve never seen these images. We have to always remember!
Sharon very wonderful photos and post of a very sad event for our country ~ thanks for the tribute ~
Happy Weekend ahead ~ ^_^
Sad memories but good monument.
Sydney – City and Suburbs
They are so hard to look at, but I still appreciate seeing these. I may never see the real place. Thanks for taking them.
Thanks so much for the detailed tour. It is so moving, I can’t imagine how you felt being there.
The details bear so much significance, Sharon. Love the wall of tributes to! The twisted pieces of metal are a stark reminder of the damage and destruction. Thank you for the reminder at All Seasons we cannot ever forget this horrific day. Also like you showed the survivor stairs. Even here there is some hope, and have heard f several instances of divine intervention.
A beautiful tribute!
It’s hard to believe how many years have passed since that day – I still remember it so clearly, like it was yesterday. For the kids and teens I work with, though, it’s a historical event that happened before they were even born, so I’m glad we have respectful, informative memorial and museums like this to help them explore the past.
A moving tribute, I teared up reading this. I’ve been to the memorial and it’s beautifully done, however, my youngest son, wasn’t old enough to visit the museum, so we will have to visit the next time we are in the NYC. #citytripping
Wow! Such a lovely tribute to 9/11! Way more than I had expected! I was there in 2005, so it was still under construction yet just as sensitive then as the day it happened! #CityTripping
I have heard that this is a very moving place. If I ever get to NY I shall definitely check it out
Mollyx
I visited before the memorial museum opened – it looks like it is beautifully done. I remember being very moved by the reflecting pools. I think seeing all the names engraved in stone really got to me. To think they all had family and loved ones who are now missing an important person in their lives.
Beautiful photos – that was a terrible day. And terrorism continues today….
Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
With Love,
Mandy
Thanks for walking us through this incredibly sobering museum Sharon. Work had only just started on it when I was last in New York so interesting to see it finished. Looks like a good job had been done and it’s a fitting and thought-provoking memorial. #citytripping
I would love to visit this one day. Such a sobering site. The very last time I was in NYC, I’d actually met up with a friend at the WTC.
Thanks for hosting and I would love to visit this site one day.
I’ve been to the memorial site but not the museum. I think it will take quite a bit of psyching up for me to do the museum but it is definitely someplace I want to visit. It looks like it is very beautifully done. Thanks for walking us through it.
That’s such a heart-warming post! You’ve captured it well in pictures. Cheers!! #TPThursday
I live in NY. It would be very hard for me to visit this museum. I’m sure someday my kids will want to visit to learn about this as a historical event
We were there before the memorial opened. We hope to get back there. It is definitely an emotional experience.
Love how you captured the 9/11 Memorial!
What a beautiful place to remember that dreadful day. #WeekendWanderlust
We were their back in 2011 before the memorial was started and I remember vividly the emotion I felt as I stood there, in the place where so many lost their lives,
I have yet to visit New York and if we do I would like to see the memorial. It’s a hugely moving tribute to such an awful tragedy. #citytripping
This is a place filled with the power of remembrance. Thank you for sharing!
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A horrible occurrence that won’t be forgotten. I love the photos you’ve shown us – the steel beams and twisted metal – a reminder.