On September 11, 2001, the unthinkable happened. An entire nation reeled in shock as we struggled to come to grips with the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest loss of rescue personnel in a single event in American history. We grieved for family, friends, coworkers, and strangers, and we pledged to commemorate and rebuild, vowing never to forget.

Situated at the heart of a revitalized World Trade Center site, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a place of pilgrimage and comfort, inextricably woven into the fabric of our city and our nation. It is a refuge for remembrance, serving victims’ family members, survivors, responders, recovery and relief workers, and the thousands of visitors from across the country and around the world who come here each day to pay their respects and learn about the attacks and the extraordinary and heroic efforts that followed.

Here, at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, we remember people for how they lived, not just for how they died. Over the years, our understanding of what it means to remember has evolved with the tragic recognition that, for the survivors, responders, recovery and relief workers, volunteers, and community members exposed to hazards and toxins in the aftermath of the attacks, 9/11 is not past history but rather an all-too-present reality. To recognize the tens of thousands who suffer from injuries and illnesses sustained at all three attack sites and the thousands who have died from 9/11-related diseases, the Memorial Glade, dedicated in 2019, now stands in tribute on the Memorial plaza.

Inside the Memorial Museum, a dynamic blend of architecture, archaeology, history, and commemoration creates an indelible encounter with the story of the attacks and their aftermath. Yet visitors take away more than a cautionary tale to remain vigilant to continued threats. By sharing the manifold expressions of courage, compassion, and service in response to 9/11, this Museum also affirms the best of who we can be as human beings.

Today, a new generation is growing up in a world defined in far too many ways by a pivotal event they did not experience personally. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum helps to ensure that this next generation and generations to come understand the significance of the events and legacies of 9/11, so they have the tools and perspective to negotiate the challenges ahead.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a place for understanding ourselves and the world in which we live. It is a place for all of us, set within the foundations of the World Trade Center—at the epicenter of Ground Zero—to begin to imagine together the kind of world we want to build for the generations that will follow us.

Alice M. Greenwald 
President & CEO 
National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 brought loss and grief on a scale we had never known. But in the dark days that followed, the indomitable spirit of our city and nation shined more brightly than ever as stories of heroism and sacrifice inspired us all. And together we made a solemn vow: that we would never forget those we lost and that we would forever share their stories with the world.

That is why we built the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

The Memorial and the Museum provide places of reflection and remembrance. They are designed to help those who were most affected by the attacks to heal—and those with no memory of the attacks to understand losses that will forever be incomprehensible.

Americans from all 50 states—and visitors from more than 190 countries—have already visited the Memorial, and the Museum draws millions more. I encourage everyone to visit. You will walk away awed and inspired.

I also want to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who contributed to the building of the Memorial and the Museum, including all the family members who donated artifacts, all the donors who gave so generously, and all the construction workers who poured their hearts into the work.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum stands as a powerful tribute to the victims of the attacks—and to the power of the human spirit. Its importance will grow with each passing year.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Bloomberg
Chairman, National September 11 Memorial & Museum

Information and photos taken from the site: 911memorial.org