Sept 11 Memorial

The National Sept 11 Memorial commemorates the nearly 3,000 lives tragically lost on September 11, 2001.

9/11 Memorial

The Memorial is part of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, taking up half of the 16-acre World Trade Center site.

It is surrounded by cranes and construction as the new World Trade Center is built around it.

The Memorial opened to families of the victims on September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attack, and to the general public on the following day.

1 WTC, the tallest of the new World Trade Center buildings and currently under construction, towers high above the Sept 11 Memorial.

Design: "Reflecting Absence"

The design for the memorial was created by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker and was selected from over 5,200 entries as part of an international design competition.

9/11 Memorial Pool with the Memorial Museum and buildings of Manhattan in the background.

Two enormous reflecting pools are situated where the former Twin Towers once stood. Cascading waterfalls line the perimeter of each pool. The large voids created by the recessed pools remind of the absence of the buildings that once stood and the loss of many lives.

The tree-filled Memorial Plaza surrounds the pools and is a peaceful place to walk or sit. The sound from the waterfalls drowns out the city noise.

The names of the people killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are stencil-cut in bronze panels around the edges of the pools. The openings created by the names allow for impressions to be made, flowers and flags to be placed, and light to shine through at night.

The names are inscribed in bronze panels surrounding the pools

The National 9/11 Memorial website has more information on finding a name on the memorial. Surviving colleagues and the victims' families were able to make requests that specific names be placed together, something unique to this memorial.

Memorial Museum

The 911 Memorial Museum is still under construction and expected to open in 2012. The focus of the museum is on the history of the World Trade Center, the events of September 11, 2001, and the rescue and recovery effort that took place in the aftermath.

The museum's collection will include photos, artifacts, personal effects, and profiles of those who died. It will also display remnants of the former World Trade Center, including a piece of the "Survivors' Stairs," by which hundreds of people were able to escape.

Remnants of the Former World Trade Center inside the Museum Pavilion

Essential New York City Guide Tip
The National Sept. 11 Memorial is beautiful any time of the day, but will really take your breath away at night. As darkness falls over the city, the waterfalls become illuminated and light shines up through the openings created by the names. The skyscrapers surrounding the memorial light up in the darkness.

Essential Visitor Information

Reservations
The memorial opened to the general public on September 12, 2011. Because of the ongoing construction of the new World Trade Center, access to the Sept 11 Memorial is restricted and reservations must be made through the 911 Memorial website before your visit.

Reservations are required to visit the Sept 11 Memorial.

Admission
Admission is free but donations can be made to help support the memorial and museum. You can choose to donate when you make your reservation.

Hours
September 12, 2011 - January 8, 2012
Mon thru Fri: 10 am to 8 pm
Sat and Sun: 9 am to 8 pm

January 8, 2012 - March 10, 2012
Mon thru Sun: 10 am to 6 pm

Visitors with reservation passes are allowed into the memorial at half hour increments all day long. The latest entrance time is 7 p.m. (5 p.m. January through March).

Location and Directions
The entrance to the Sept 11 Memorial is at the corner of Albany and Greenwich Streets.

By Subway, the most direct way is to take one of the following lines: