The National September 11 Memorial and Museum
It was first opened to the public on 21 May 2014.
Since then, people from all 50 states and over 175 countries have visited the Museum.
The Museum’s dynamic combination of architecture, archaeology, and history creates an unforgettable encounter with the story of the attacks, their aftermath, and the people who lived through them.
Visitors enter the Museum through the Memorial’s aboveground Entry Pavilion.
The Pavilion links the memory of past events and the promise of renewal through reconstruction.
Architects Davis Brody Bond created Museum spaces that recognize the power of place and highlight the World Trade Center’s authentic archaeological remnants.
The National 11 September Memorial Museum Hours
The 9/11 Memorial Museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 9 am to 7 pm.
The Museum remains closed on Tuesday.
Buy the 9/11 Memorial and Museum tickets and visit the Museum that tells the story of 9/11 through artifacts, imagery, personal stories, and interactive technology.
Learn about the Museum’s 110,000 square feet of space and its core exhibitions, special exhibitions, and rotating galleries.
The Exhibition
The exhibit is divided into three sections. The first section covers the day’s events as they unfolded.
The second section provides the historical context preceding the attacks, such as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and other 9/11 precursors.
The third and final section looks at the world after 9/11, from the immediate aftermath of the attacks to the end of recovery at the three attack sites, as well as the ongoing consequences of 9/11.
Part 1: The Day’s Events
On 11 September 2001, nineteen terrorists from the Islamist extremist network al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes shortly after they took off from three US cities.
In a coordinated attack, the hijackers flew two planes into the World Trade Center Twin Towers and another into the Pentagon.
Passengers and crew members on the fourth plane launched a counterattack after learning about the other hijackings.
They prompted the hijacker pilot to crash the plane into a field in Pennsylvania.
The World Trade Center attacks prompted the largest rescue operation in New York City’s history.
Approximately 2,000 police officers and 1,000 firefighters responded to the World Trade Center attacks.
Emergency dispatchers sent more than 100 city and volunteer ambulances within the first hour to the scene.
As the World Trade Center situation deteriorated, civilians trained in first aid, crisis counseling, law enforcement, and firefighting arrived on the scene.
Many first responders risked their own lives to assist and save others.
Part 2: Before 9/11
9/11 was not the first attack on the World Trade Center.
Terrorists planted a bomb in a rented van parked in the World Trade Center’s underground parking garage on February 26, 1993.
The bomb killed six people and injured over 1,000 others.
The 1993 and 2001 attacks both occurred within an emerging radical Islamist ideology.
Al-Qaeda, the Islamist fringe group that carried out the 9/11 attacks, wanted to hijack American planes to attack American military, political, and economic power symbols.
All 19 hijackers had arrived in the United States by June 2001.
The hijackers boarded four flights and began their attack in the early morning hours of 11 September.
Part 3: What Happened After 9/11
After 9/11, people showed incredible compassion, served the public, and volunteered to help with rescue and cleanup.
Their selfless acts defined the period following the tragedy.
The search for survivors began immediately at Ground Zero, the World Trade Center’s mass destruction site.
Thousands of rescue workers, investigators, engineers, laborers, and volunteers arrived in less than a week to help.
Recovery workers cleared approximately 1.8 million tons of debris over the next nine months.
The proper removal of the Last Column in late May 2002 marked the completion of the major cleanup and recovery work at the World Trade Center site.
Despite their grief, the country moved forward.
The 9/11 attacks’ legacy would continue to shape policy debates, civic discourse, and reflections on public safety, global politics, civil liberties, and striking the right balance between remembering and rebuilding.
The Collection
The permanent collection of the 9/11 Memorial Museum is an unparalleled repository of material evidence, first-person testimony, and historical records of the responses to the terrorist attacks on 26 February 1993.
The collection also has evidence from 11 September 2001 and the ongoing consequences of these terrorist events.
The Museum has collected over 70,000 artifacts documenting the fates of victims, survivors, and responders.
To make your visit to the 9/11 Memorial complete, we recommend you visit the FDNY Memorial Wall and 9/11 Memorial Pools.
National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tickets
Various ticket options are available for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, including guided tours, entry tickets or combination tickets for access to the memorial and museum.
We have listed them below for you.
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum Timed-Entry Ticket
- Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour & Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket
- 9/11 Memorial Tour Optional Museum & Observatory Ticket
- 9/11 Memorial Museum & Statue of Liberty Cruise
We recommend securing tickets online in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient entry.
Featured Image: 911memorial.org