Remembering the fallen is why we are here. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum stands as a solemn reminder. It honors the victims of the attacks. The 9/11 Memorial is at the World Trade Center site. This was the location of the Twin Towers. They were destroyed on September 11, 2001. The memorial also remembers the victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
A memorial was planned quickly after the attacks. It was meant for the victims and rescue workers. Michael Arad of Handel Architects won the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition. He worked with Peter Walker and Partners. Their design features a forest of oak trees. Two square reflecting pools mark where the Twin Towers stood.
Construction began in August 2006. The design aligns with Daniel Libeskind’s original master plan. It calls for the memorial to be below street level. The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation became the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in 2007.
A dedication ceremony marked the tenth anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2011. The memorial opened to the public the next day. The museum was dedicated on May 15, 2014. Michael Bloomberg and Barack Obama spoke. The museum opened to the public six days later.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum was a non-profit. It raised funds for the memorial’s planning and construction. The board of directors first met on January 4, 2005. It reached its initial fundraising goal in April 2008.
The World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition was launched in 2003. It was an international competition. Individuals and teams from around the world submitted designs. The winning design was Reflecting Absence. Michael Arad and Peter Walker designed it. It features a field of trees. Two large recessed pools mark the footprints of the Twin Towers.
Swamp white oak trees form clusters. They create clearings and groves. The park is at street level above the Memorial Museum. Names of the victims are inscribed on parapets. The waterfalls surround them. This includes victims from the Pentagon and flights 77, 93, and the 1993 bombing.
Construction workers began work on March 13, 2006. Some relatives protested. They wanted the memorial above ground. The memorial foundation said families favored the design. Work continued as planned. The budget was cut to 530 million dollars.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum began a national tour in September 2007. It visited 25 cities. The tour featured photos and artifacts. Steel beams were available for visitors to sign. They were later used in the memorial’s construction.
Two 1-acre pools mark the footprints of the Twin Towers. They feature the largest man-made waterfalls in the United States. The waterfalls mute city sounds. They create a contemplative space. Peter Walker planted white oaks. Over 400 swamp white oak trees fill the plaza. They enhance the site’s reflective nature.
The names of 2,983 victims are inscribed on bronze parapets. This includes the six victims of the 1993 bombing. The names are arranged for meaningful adjacencies. They are based on relationships. This includes proximity at the time of the attacks. Company affiliations are also included. All names are in Optima typeface.
The Survivor Tree is a callery pear. It was recovered from the rubble in October 2001. It was badly burned. It had only one living branch. The tree was moved to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx for care. It was replanted in March 2010 after being uprooted by a storm. The Survivor Tree has become a symbol of hope.
The Memorial Glade honors first responders. They became sick after inhaling toxins. The path includes battered stones. Debris from the original World Trade Center is placed along the path. The National September 11 Memorial is a place of remembrance. It is also a place of hope.