Plan Your Visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
I’ve been to museums across the United States and in Europe. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City stands far above every other museum, leaving the greatest impact on me. It’s likely because September 11, 2001, is a day I remember well. I was 21 years old, driving to my class at Weber State University as I heard the news on the radio that planes had struck the World Trade Center towers. Shortly after, they fell to the ground.
My visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum walked me through the tragic events of that day from the place where it all happened. It also highlighted the hope and goodness of people coming together to help a stranger. If you have enough time to visit only one site in the Big Apple, I highly recommend a visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Here’s what you need to know as you plan your visit.
Visit the South and North Tower Memorials
Located at the site of the former World Trade Center towers are two large, square fountains. Each fountain marks the footprint of the two towers toppled during the attack on September 11, 2001. Around each fountain is a list of names of those killed in the attack. Some are identified in groups, like firefighters from a specific group, or employees from a given company. You may notice a white rose placed in various names… the flower indicates that today is the victim’s birthday.
The two fountains offer time for reflection about the events of 9/11. While the city is bustling around the site, I found it to be a peaceful area.
There is no cost to visit the 9/11 Memorial (these two fountains) in New York City. Tickets are required for the 9/11 Museum.
Get Tickets to the 9/11 Museum
If you plan to visit the museum, there are a variety of ways to get tickets:
- Tickets can be purchased from the 9/11 Museum website
- Admission to the 9/11 Museum is included with the New York CityPASS
- Ticket windows at the entrance to the 9/11 Museum
- Ticket kiosks positions around the 9/11 Museum building
- Other pass partners to sites throughout New York City
Advanced ticket purchase allows you to skip the lines at the 9/11 Museum entrance and go straight to the security line. Once you make it through the security line, the museum is yours to explore.
NOTE: I’ve visited many museums in the United States and Europe: US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, and The Louvre in Paris, France. But no other museum left as strong an impression on me as the 9/11 Museum in New York City.
Download the 9/11 Memorial & Museum App
Halfway through my visit, I discovered there was an app for the 9/11 Museum (iTunes or Android). I was able to connect to the museum WiFi and download the app and its content. The free app is a must! As you visit each exhibit, like the FDNY Ladder 3 Truck pictured below, you can listen to audio clips telling a story about the item. For example, the whole front end of this firetruck was smashed by falling debris when the north tower fell. I learned that fact while listening to the app.
The app has information available to different audiences. For example, in the app’s Witnessing History section, adults can learn about artifacts. In another section, Discovering History, a voice explains the artifacts or exhibits using words a child can understand.
If you have a pair of headphones for your phone, it’s highly recommended. Otherwise, just keep the volume low on the phone and hold it by your ear. That will help respect the experience for other visitors.
Explore the Exhibits about September 11, 2001
As you walk through the 9/11 Museum, you’ll see artifacts and art installations. You’ll see the slurry wall, survivors’ stairs, Memorial Hall, the Remembrances exhibit honoring each individual killed on September 11, 2001, and even a firehouse door. While each of those exhibits and installations are well done at honoring all those impacted, the Historical Exhibition was humbling.
As you enter the Historical Exhibition, you start around 8:30 a.m. in New York City. You take a minute-by-minute walk through the day. The first plane crashing into the tower. Moments later, while reporting on the first crash, a second crash occurs. Time passes and one tower falls, then the other. A small theater plays brief recordings of people explaining where they were in the towers as events unfolded. Those events included the attack on the Pentagon and the plane that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
The exhibit features artifacts unearthed during the excavation, including parts of one of the airplanes used as a weapon in the attack. I paused for a moment at the steel structure that formed a cross and was put on display at ground zero as the excavation took place. I remember photographing that cross during a visit to New York City in 2004.
As you finish up the exhibit, you also learn about the terrorists who are responsible for hijacking the plane. You see airport securing footage of the terrorists passing through the security checkpoint.
Despite the destruction, you also learn about the coming together of Americans and the stories of hope that abounded following the attack. As mentioned, a visit to the 9/11 Museum is humbling, and something I will remember for years to come.
Record Your Own Experience about September 11, 2001
Before you leave the 9/11 Museum, stop in at the recording booth. Everyone has a story to tell. Add yours into the mix of stories collecting about that day, or the events following. If a recording booth is available, step in and follow the prompts on the screen. It takes less than five minutes. Afterward, sit in the little theater to see the reflections of others who have captured their story about the events of September 11, 2001.
The Details
Address: 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
Cost: Museum admission is $26 for adults, young adults (ages 13-17) and seniors (age 65+) are $20. Youth 7-12 are $15. Museum tours are available with ticket purchase for a few additional dollars.
Hours: The museum is open daily, Sun.–Thu., 9 a.m.–8 p.m. with last entry at 6 p.m., and Fri. and Sat., 9 a.m.–9 p.m. with last entry at 7 p.m. The memorial is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
How Long: You can spend a while in the museum exploring everything about September 11, 2001. Plan on two hours, but you can spend more or less depending on your speed.
Website: https://www.911memorial.org/
Phone: (212) 312-8800
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