Is The Museum Visit Guided
Your visit to the 9/11 Museum is self-guided. Your guide will share helpful information about the museum to prepare you for your visit, and youll get a timed entry ticket to the museum. Depending on availability, your ticket may be for immediately after the tour conclusion or some time later. The museum reserves the discretion not to admit you if you are early or late, and you cant exit and reenter the museum.
Architecture Review: At 9/11 Memorial Museum A Relentless Literalism
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Many New Yorkers, still trying to make sense of the 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center, have had a single question as a museum was being built at ground zero: Too soon?
Now that the 9/11 Memorial Museum, as its officially called, has opened to the public, they and others may find themselves asking something else: Too much?
The museum is an overstuffed answer to the appealing minimalism of the 9/11 memorial and its cascading pools, which opened in 2011.
It extends deep below the memorial in a series of cavernous, hangar-like rooms. Its galleries contain crushed fire trucks, mangled steel, multimedia displays, a torn seatbelt from one of the airplanes that hit the towers, clothing and bicycles covered with ash from their collapse, photographs, architectural models and literally thousands of other pieces of dark memorabilia.
The intensity, scope and sheer unrelenting literalism of this approach marks a significant change in how we choose to mark national trauma. No longer do we see memorials as capable of commemorating an entire war or attack on their own.
Though there are now plans to add one, there was no museum accompanying Maya Lins Vietnam Veterans Memorial when it opened in Washington, D.C., in 1982. Nearby, Friedrich St. Florians neoclassical National World War II Memorial, completed in 2004, also stands by itself.
New purpose
Potential audience
Experience The 9/11 Memorial With Those Who Were There
Go on a guided tour of the 9/11 Memorial to experience the stories of 9/11 told by those who were there. Our guides are survivors, rescue and recovery workers, family members, civilian volunteers and Lower Manhattan residents whose healing is a testament to the perseverance of the human spirit.
On our tours, hear the guides powerful stories of their experiences during and after the attacks. They share insight on the history of 9/11 and the memorial pools, the survivor tree and the rebuilding.
Tours meet at the 9/11 Tribute Museum and last approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
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Freedom Tower One World Observatory
One World Trade Center proudly overlooks the whole site and is a constant reminder that the country was not defeated and has rebuilt and carried on. It was a bitter blow for the country and the City but in the end, the terrorist ideal lost and the American way of life won out.
The building was named freedom tower during the design and building but was subsequently officially called One WTC. It is a beautiful building and from close quarters the design makes it appear infinitely tall. It is the tallest building in America and the sixth in the world at a whopping 1776 feet.
While not technically part of the memorial and Museum its presence definitely adds to the whole experience. If you want to go to theObservation deck read here.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum Reviews Faqs
National September 11 Memorial & Museum has an overall rating of 2.9 out of 5, based on over 96 reviews left anonymously by employees. 42% of employees would recommend working at National September 11 Memorial & Museum to a friend and 27% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has decreased by -1% over the last 12 months.
According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, National September 11 Memorial & Museum employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.6 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at National September 11 Memorial & Museum. This rating has decreased by -3% over the last 12 months.
42% of National September 11 Memorial & Museum employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated National September 11 Memorial & Museum 2.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.1 for culture and values and 2.4 for career opportunities.
According to reviews on Glassdoor, employees commonly mention the pros of working at National September 11 Memorial & Museum to be compensation, coworkers and the cons to be benefits, senior leadership, career development.
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Private All Access 9/11 Ground Zero Including Tour Museum And Observatory
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- One Liberty Plaza, New York City, New York, United States
This full experience of September 11th sites in Manhattan includes a 1.5-hour guided walking tour of Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial, plus entry to the 9/11 Museum and the One World Observatory. As you’re led by a local New Yorker guide with personal connection to the events of 9/11, hear stories of tragedy and heroism and gain a deeper understanding of the attack and aftermath.
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The Fdny Memorial Wall
Located on Greenwich Street at the corner of Liberty Street, just southeast of the 9/11 Memorial hangs the FDNY Memorial Wall by artist Joe Petrovics.
This 7000 pound bronze wall is attached to the wall of Engine and Ladder Company 10, the local fire station.
It is a memorial to the 343 active NYC firefighters who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 + 1 local attorney who was a volunteer firefighter outside of the city.
The 56-foot long bas-relief sculpture depicts the World Trade Center towers in flames and scenes of firefighters executing their duties.
For more information on the memorial, please visit .
Listen to firefighter Lt. Mickey Kross tell his story of surviving the tower collapse .
How Much Time Do You Need
Although a quick trip can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes, some guests may want to set aside a little more time to experience the memorial.
There are also several additional monuments nearby that are directly related to the events of 9/11, so you may want to ensure that you have at least 1 hour to see everything.
This is the exact time it will take you to complete our audio walking tour of the memorial and surrounding area.
The 9/11 Museum is located right between the two monuments and you will require tickets for entry.
This location includes several exhibits covering the history before, during, and after the events of September 11th.
For more information, make sure to read our post about visiting the 9/11 Museum.
If you want to take things a step further, you should also consider visiting One World Trade Center.
Located right across the street from the 9/11 Memorial, this is one of the tallest buildings in the world and it has observation decks providing some of the best views in New York City.
Read our post about the Freedom Tower for more details.
Anyone who is considering a trip to the memorial, the museum, and the One World Observatory should set aside at least 5-6 hours for the entire trip.
Youll also want to purchase tickets in advance to make sure that you can get in when you want and avoid having to wait in line.
If youre planning on spending the day in this area, consider dropping into Brookfield Place to grab a bite to eat.
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Swamp White Oaks And The Survivor Tree
Throughout the memorial are several hundred swamp white oak trees, which, according to the 911 Memorial website, were chosen for their durability as well as their variety of heights and leaf colors.
However, there is one particular tree that stands out. Among the rubble of the fallen towers, an 8 foot Callery pear tree was found alive, but just barely.
Removed from the rubble, the tree was nursed back to health and replanted in the plaza. It has since flourished and has grown to 30 feet in height.
The tree embodies the story of survival and resilience important to the history of the World Trade Center and 9/11.
From the Survivor Tree, walk towards the glass atrium of the museum where you can view the Tridents.
New York Fire Department Ladder Company 3
One of the largest displays of wreckage included the New York Fire Department Ladder Company 3 fire truck. This truck was based in the East Village neighborhood and was one of the first dispatched to the World Trade Center which parked on West Street, near Vesey Street.
At the time of the building collapse, the front part of the truck was parked underneath a pedestrian walkway which collapsed on top of the front end of the fire truck when the towers fell.
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Is The Museum Suitable For Children
Very young children will probably be fine, 4 and underish. They are unlikely to fully appreciate what is going on and your bigger issue would be boredom. There isnt a lot to keep younger kids interested. Older children who are a bit more aware can be more of an issue.
The events of the day were very horrific and it can be hard for children to get their heads around. But the most upsetting exhibits are separate and warnings are given . We feel a lot of children will be ok and it is more the parents who will suffer from difficult questions. But all children are different and we are sure there are some who would find this a very distressing experience.
We think most parents are the best judge of this. You will have seen how your kids react to upsetting things in the past. Be advised the experience IS very emotionally charged. It is a somber and intense mood in the Museum and you cant hide from what you are experiencing. If your child is likely to react negatively to that sort of thing it may be best to wait until they are older
Children who are in their teens should be fine. Assuming they are not too easily upset. We think as kids get older its important to educate them on these sorts of things and as such, the trip would be very beneficial. They might get upset at times but that is not necessarily a bad thing, we see many adults getting upset, it is a pretty upsetting experience.
The World Trade Center Cross
Just days after the towers’ collapse, recovery workers discovered a 17 ft tall intersecting beam among the wreckage of Ground Zero that unmistakably resembled a Christian cross.
This cross was installed here on the side of St. Peter’s Church as a temporary holding spot before being transferred to the National September 11th Museum.
This transfer was not without controversy, as a national Atheists Association opposed the use of government funds to accommodate the transfer, but they lost.
The court ruled that the cross did not violate constitutional restrictions on church and state.
The current cross was installed in 2011 and was designed by Jon Krawczyk. Its polish is intended to reflect the sky, crowds, and the emerging World Trade Center.
The new cross is filled with notes, letters, and other symbols of loss.
The image on the left – By James Tourtellotte, U.S. Customs and Border Protection , via Wikimedia Commons.
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What Is The Rescheduling Policy
We understand plans change. We offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours prior to your tour start time for this tour. We also offer rescheduling to another date the tour is running at no extra cost if youre unable to make this tour. Please keep in mind there are no refunds available if you have already rescheduled your tour.
Controversies Surrounding The Memorial
Mohammad Salman Hamdani
Although victims’-family groups agreed that names would be grouped by workplace or other affiliation, NYPD cadet Mohammad Salman Hamdani was not included with the other first responders or the other victims whose remains were found in the wreckage of the North Tower. His name appears on the memorial’s panel S-66 for World Trade Center victims , with those who did not fit into the groups created by the memorial committee or who had a loose connection to the World Trade Center. Hamdani’s mother, Talat, has campaigned for the Memorial to acknowledge her son as a police cadet and first responder. Hamdani received a full police-department funeral after his body was found , and 204th Street in Bayside, Queens, the street on which he lived was renamed in his honor.
Arabic-language brochures
Although the memorial’s brochures were initially translated into at least ten languages, these languages did not include Arabic. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee questioned this decision in letters to memorial directors, and ADC director of communications and advocacy Raed Jarrar said: “Our fear is that there is a political intention behind the exclusion”. A memorial representative told the New York Post, “As Arabic-speaking visitors currently represent our 25th-largest group, Arabic translations are not yet among the initial foreign-language editions.”
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The National September 11th Museum
Read more about the museum here.
Placed inside the Museum, but visible from the Memorial Plaza, are two 70-foot high, 50 ton steel beams that were part of the base of the North Tower.
These beams, salvaged from the wreckage of the fallen towers, are known as tridents because of their three-pronged tops .
Controversies Surrounding The Museum
Little Syria
A neighborhood that was once called Little Syria, a center of Christian Arab immigrant life in the United States beginning in the 1880s, once existed just south of the site of the World Trade Center. The cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Lebanese was found under the rubble, next to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 157 Cedar Street. Both congregations were founded by Christians who had fled Ottoman oppression in the Middle East. Activists lobbied for the Museum to include a permanent exhibit about the neighborhood to “help the thousands of tourists who visit the site to understand that immigrants from Ottoman lands have played a patriotic role in the country’s history,” arguing that it was important to memorialize the multiethnic character of “Little Syria.” The old Christian Syrian neighborhood was demolished in the 1940s due to the construction of the BrooklynBattery Tunnel.
Never Forget
General admission tickets to the museum are $24, a price which has raised concerns. Michael Bloomberg agreed, encouraging people to “write your congressman” for more federal funding.
Placement of unidentified remains
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The Waterfalls And Reflecting Pools
These 2 enormous pools with cascading waterfalls, designed by architect Michael Arad, and titled “Reflecting Absence”.
They are set at Ground Zero into the exact footprints of the original North and South World Trade Center Towers, which were destroyed on September 11, 2001.
At 1 acre in surface area and 32 feet deep, these are the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.
The pools are one of the most moving memorials in the world.
These pools represent the void left in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, both with the loss of life as well as in the soul of the city and the country.
It is nearly impossible to view the pools without experiencing some sort of emotions. We recommend visiting at twilight or night to see the pools illuminated.
The 911 Memorial honors those who died on 9/11, including those who perished at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and the victims of hijacked Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.
Also included are the oft-forgotten six victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
The victims’ names are inscribed around the bronze edges of the pools. Instead of being arranged alphabetically, the names are organized by meaningful adjacencies.”
Names are grouped together based on their relationships with other victims, such as co-workers, family members, friends, and even those who commuted together.
As with the voids represented by the pools and waterfalls, so are the names indented.
Arrangement Of The Victims’ Names
The names of 2,983 victims are inscribed on 152 bronze parapets on the memorial pools: 2,977 killed in the September 11 attacks and six killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The names are arranged according to an algorithm, creating “meaningful adjacencies” based on relationshipsproximity at the time of the attacks, company or organization affiliations and in response to about 1,200 requests from family members. Software made by Local Projects implemented the arrangement. All names are stylized with Optima typeface for a “balanced appearance”.
The names of the employees and visitors in the North Tower , the passengers and crew of American Airlines Flight 11 , and the employees and a visitor of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are around the perimeter of the North Pool. The names of the employees and visitors in the South Tower , the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 175 , the employees, visitors, and bystanders in the immediate vicinity of the North and South Towers, the first responders who died during rescue operations, the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 and American Airlines Flight 77 , and the employees at the Pentagon are around the perimeter of the South Pool. Company names are not included, but company employees and visitors are listed together. Passengers on the four flights are listed under their flight numbers, and first responders with their units.
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