September 11th National Memorial & Museum
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| September 11th National Memorial & Museum | |
|---|---|
| Name | September 11th National Memorial & Museum |
| Established | 2011 (memorial), 2014 (museum) |
| Location | Lower Manhattan, New York City |
September 11th National Memorial & Museum The September 11th National Memorial & Museum commemorates the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Situated at the former World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, the institution combines outdoor memorials, an underground museum, and preserved artifacts to document events involving Al-Qaeda, American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93. It serves as a site for remembrance by families of victims such as those on American Airlines Flight 11 (1991–2013) and institutions including Family members of victims of the September 11 attacks and organizations like the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation.
History and Development
Planning began after the collapse of the World Trade Center complex following attacks attributed to Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Early proposals involved stakeholders including the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and families represented by groups such as the September 11th Families Association. Competitions like the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition produced designs amid debates involving figures such as Daniel Libeskind, Michael Arad, and the firm Snohetta. Legal and political disputes referenced bodies including the United States Congress and the offices of George W. Bush and Rudy Giuliani; funding considerations implicated entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and private donors including the Lippman family. Construction and recovery overlapped with projects such as One World Trade Center and infrastructure efforts tied to New York City Department of Transportation work in Manhattan.
Design and Architecture
The memorial design "Reflecting Absence" was created by Michael Arad in collaboration with firms such as Sasaki Associates and influenced by precedents like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial by Maya Lin. Architectural oversight involved collaborations with Foster and Partners on nearby towers and with Buro Happold for engineering, while the museum fit-out included curators linked to institutions like the National Museum of American History and conservation specialists from organizations such as the American Institute for Conservation. Materials and approaches referenced projects by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and incorporated techniques used at sites like the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. The museum occupies subterranean levels beneath One World Trade Center footprints, integrating landscape architects and engineers experienced with projects like Battery Park City.
Memorial Grounds and Features
The memorial features two large reflecting pools set within the footprints of the former North Tower (World Trade Center) and South Tower (World Trade Center), bordered by a plaza planted with swamp white oaks similar to species used at Central Park restorations. Names of the nearly 3,000 victims from attacks involving American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, United Airlines Flight 93, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are inscribed on bronze parapets, a treatment recalling inscriptions at the Yad Vashem and the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. Notable site elements include the surviving St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (Manhattan) proximity, the preserved slurry wall known as the "bathtub", and artifacts such as the Last Column removed during Recovery and cleanup after the September 11 attacks efforts. Nearby urban features connect to transit hubs including PATH (rail system) and the Oculus (World Trade Center).
Museum Exhibits and Collections
The museum's core galleries present a chronological narrative with artifacts from responders affiliated with agencies like the New York City Fire Department, the New York City Police Department, and Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey. Major artifacts include portions of steel from the Twin Towers (World Trade Center), the FDNY Stair Chair, the Relics recovered from Ground Zero, and personal effects preserved under protocols informed by the American Alliance of Museums. Exhibitions have been curated to engage with documentation from media outlets such as The New York Times, oral histories recorded with survivors and family members linked to programs like the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Oral History Project, and forensic records related to investigations by agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Rotating exhibits have featured loans from institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian Institution.
Commemoration and Events
Annual ceremonies on September 11 involve leaders and organizations such as the President of the United States, the Mayor of New York City, and delegations from foreign states including representatives of United Kingdom–United States relations and Israel–United States relations. Commemorative programs have included survivor panels, family member vigils, and public education initiatives coordinated with institutions like Columbia University and New York University. Special events have marked anniversaries related to milestones including the publication of works by authors such as Lawrence Lifshultz and documentaries produced by networks like PBS and National Geographic.
Governance, Funding, and Operations
Governance involves entities such as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation, oversight by the United States Department of the Interior via the National Parks Service for aspects of memorial stewardship, and coordination with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Funding streams combine private donations from families and philanthropists like foundations similar in role to the Rockefeller Foundation, ticket revenues, and public appropriations debated in forums including the United States Congress and the New York State Legislature. Operational partnerships engage conservators from organizations like the International Council of Museums and security collaborations with agencies such as the New York Police Department and Transportation Security Administration.
Reception and Criticism
Reception has ranged from praise by cultural commentators in outlets like The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times for its commemorative ambition, to critique from historians and activists linked to institutions like Human Rights Watch concerning narrative framing and representation. Debates have focused on issues raised by commentators such as Paul Goldberger and scholars affiliated with Columbia University about commercialization, ritualization, and the balance between memorial and museum functions, as well as legal disputes involving stakeholders similar to cases heard in New York Supreme Court venues. Conservation challenges echo controversies in other memorial projects including debates seen around the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National September 11th Victim Compensation Fund administration.