National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center
Encyclopedia
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, formerly the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, is a 503(c)(3) non-profit corporation that began operations in 2005. The foundation’s name was changed in 2007 to better reflect the national scope of the September 11th attacks. Its mission is to finalize the design, program, own and operate the Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero planned by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
(LMDC), a city-state organization established after September 11th to direct the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. It is estimated that five million people will visit the memorial annually, making it one of America’s most visited historical sites.
It will be located at the World Trade Center
site to commemorate the attacks on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993 (1993 World Trade Center bombing
).
Two pools with the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States cascading down their sides will be located within the footprints of the Twin Towers. Each pool will be 1 acres (4,046.9 m²), and together they are intended to symbolize the loss of life and the physical void left by the terrorist attacks. The sound of the water falling is supposed to drown out the sounds of the city, making the site a contemplative sanctuary. Almost 400 Sweet Gum and Swamp White Oak trees will fill the remaining 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of the Memorial Plaza, furthering the reflective nature of the site.
In addition, cutting-edge pedestrian
simulations were conducted to test the design of the memorial site. The pedestrian modeling software Legion was used to simulate how visitors would utilize the space, and the design was subsequently tweaked to prevent potential bottlenecks.
, a Norwegian
architectural firm. Two of the original tridents from the Twin Towers will be located in this pavilion. One of the walls of the underground museum will be an exposed side of the slurry wall
, which is the retaining wall that holds back the Hudson River and that had remained un-breached during and after September 11.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
, who has personally given over $15 million toward the project. The National September 11 Museum & Memorial is governed by the following board members: David Beamer, Paula Grant-Berry
, Debra Burlingame, John P. Cahill
, Russell L. Carson, Kenneth I. Chenault, Keating Crown, Billy Crystal
, Robert De Niro
, Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr., Christine A. Ferer, Maurice R. Greenberg
, Vartan Gregorian
, Patricia Harris
, William B. Harrison, Jr.
, Gerald Hassell
, Robert Iger
, Lee A. Ielpi, Monica Iken, Robert Wood Johnson
, Thomas S. Johnson, Robert Kasdin, Anthoula Katsimatides, Peter M. Lehrer, Howard W. Lutnick, Julie Menin
, Ira M. Millstein, Howard Milstein, Peter G. Peterson, Emily K. Rafferty, Kevin M. Rampe, David Rockefeller
, Judith Rodin
, Thomas H. Rogér, Jane Rosenthal
, E. John Rosenwald, Jr., Avi Schick, Andrew M. Senchak, Jerry Speyer
, Jon Stewart, Anne M. Tatlock, Daniel R. Tishman, Seth Waugh, John C. Whitehead
, and John Zuccotti.
, which will be permanently housed in the museum, was moved in July 2008 from where it had been located to the other side of the site in order to protect it from the ongoing construction and to place the artifact in the Memorial Museum.
At the opening ceremony in South Carolina, White Knoll Middle School’s students, who raised more than half a million dollars in 2001 to buy a new truck for New York City's Fire Department, were honored. Also at the ceremony, retired New York City Police Officer Marcelo Pevida presented the City of Columbia with an American flag that had flown over Ground Zero.
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation was formed in July 2002, after the September 11 attacks to plan the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan and distribute nearly $10 billion in federal funds aimed at rebuilding downtown Manhattan....
(LMDC), a city-state organization established after September 11th to direct the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. It is estimated that five million people will visit the memorial annually, making it one of America’s most visited historical sites.
It will be located at the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
site to commemorate the attacks on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993 (1993 World Trade Center bombing
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The 1993 World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 1,336 lb urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower , bringing...
).
The memorial’s design
In January 2004, the design, Reflecting Absence, by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker was selected as the winner of the LMDC's design competition that had 5,201 entrants from 63 nations.Two pools with the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States cascading down their sides will be located within the footprints of the Twin Towers. Each pool will be 1 acres (4,046.9 m²), and together they are intended to symbolize the loss of life and the physical void left by the terrorist attacks. The sound of the water falling is supposed to drown out the sounds of the city, making the site a contemplative sanctuary. Almost 400 Sweet Gum and Swamp White Oak trees will fill the remaining 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) of the Memorial Plaza, furthering the reflective nature of the site.
In addition, cutting-edge pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
simulations were conducted to test the design of the memorial site. The pedestrian modeling software Legion was used to simulate how visitors would utilize the space, and the design was subsequently tweaked to prevent potential bottlenecks.
Arrangement of the victims’ names
The names of the 2,977 who were killed in the September 11th attacks in New York City, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania and the names of the 6 victims killed in the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing will be inscribed around the edges of the Memorial pools. The names of the victims who were in Tower 1 and on Flight 11, which hit Tower 1, will be located around the perimeter of the North Pool. The names surrounding the South Pool will include: those killed in Tower 2, the victims on Flight 175, which hit Tower 2, the victims who were in the immediate vicinity of the Towers, the first responders, the passengers on Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the passengers on Flight 77, which hit the Pentagon, those killed at Pentagon, and the victims of the February 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombing. It was decided that the names of companies would not be included; however, company employees and their visitors will be listed together. Passengers of the four flights will be listed together under their flight numbers, and first responders will be listed together with their units.The museum’s design
Designed by Davis Brody Bond, LLP, the museum will be located approximately 70 feet (21.3 m) below ground, and will be accessed through an entry pavilion designed by SnøhettaSnøhetta
Snøhetta is an international architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design office based in Oslo, Norway and New York City. Craig Dykers and Kjetil Trædal Thorsen are the two principals of the company. In addition there are four partners, architect Robert Greenwood, architect Ole...
, a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
architectural firm. Two of the original tridents from the Twin Towers will be located in this pavilion. One of the walls of the underground museum will be an exposed side of the slurry wall
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
, which is the retaining wall that holds back the Hudson River and that had remained un-breached during and after September 11.
National September 11 Museum’s mission
"The National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center will bear solemn witness to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. The Museum will honor the 2,981 victims of these attacks and all those who risked their lives to save others. It will further recognize the thousands who survived and all who demonstrated extraordinary compassion in the aftermath. Demonstrating the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and its impact on communities at the local, national, and international levels, the Museum will attest to the triumph of human dignity over human depravity and affirm an unwavering commitment to the fundamental value of human life."
Collection and exhibits
The National September 11 Museum will house a digital resource center, artifacts recovered from the site, and victims’ and survivors’ personal effects that either were collected during the recovery effort after September 11, 2001 or were donated by survivors or victims’ families. Narrative and interactive exhibitions will be designed to educate visitors about the terrorist attacks that occurred on February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001, in terms of their events, contexts, and consequences. Exhibits and educational programming will communicate the stories of the victims, responders, witnesses, and survivors through various media.The Memorial Mission
- "Remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women, and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001.
- Respect this place made sacred through tragic loss.
- Recognize the endurance of those who survived, the courage of those who risked their lives to save others, and the compassion of all who supported us in our darkest hours.
- May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.”
Board of directors
Since 2006, the chairman of the National September 11 Museum & Memorial has been New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, who has personally given over $15 million toward the project. The National September 11 Museum & Memorial is governed by the following board members: David Beamer, Paula Grant-Berry
Paula Grant-Berry
Paula Grant Berry served on the Selection Jury for the World Trade Center Memorial, and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Families Advisory Council. She was a Memorial Program Drafting Committee member.-Life:...
, Debra Burlingame, John P. Cahill
John P. Cahill
John P. Cahill was the Secretary and Chief of Staff to New York Governor George E. Pataki and Development Chief of Lower Manhattan. Cahill advised the Governor on a wide array of critical policy issues...
, Russell L. Carson, Kenneth I. Chenault, Keating Crown, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
, Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
, Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr., Christine A. Ferer, Maurice R. Greenberg
Maurice R. Greenberg
Maurice Raymond "Hank" Greenberg is an American business executive and former chairman and CEO of American International Group , which was the world's 18th largest public company and its largest insurance and financial services corporation.He is currently chairman and CEO of C.V. Starr & Co., Inc....
, Vartan Gregorian
Vartan Gregorian
Vartan Gregorian is an Armenian-American academic, serving as the president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. He is an ethnic Armenian, born in Iran....
, Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris
Patricia Harris is the first Deputy Mayor for the City of New York, with an annual salary of $227,219. Prior to her appointment, Harris managed Bloomberg LP's Corporate Communications Department, overseeing its Philanthropy, Public Relations, and Governmental Affairs divisions. Prior to her...
, William B. Harrison, Jr.
William B. Harrison, Jr.
William B. Harrison, Jr., born August 12, 1943 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, is the former CEO and Chairman of JPMorgan Chase. He attended high school at Virginia Episcopal School, where he was a basketball star. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was admitted...
, Gerald Hassell
Gerald Hassell
Gerald L. Hassell is the Chairman, CEO and President of The Bank of New York Mellon.-Background:Gerald Hassell joined the Bank of New York in 1973 when he was only 21 years old as a management trainee, and has held various positions in the credit and corporate banking divisions...
, Robert Iger
Robert Iger
Robert A. "Bob" Iger is the president and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. He was named president of Disney in 2000, and later succeeded Michael Eisner as chief executive in 2005, after a successful effort by Roy E. Disney to shake-up the management of the company...
, Lee A. Ielpi, Monica Iken, Robert Wood Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson was the name shared by members of the family that descended from the President of Johnson & Johnson:*Robert Wood Johnson I *Robert Wood Johnson II *Robert Wood Johnson III...
, Thomas S. Johnson, Robert Kasdin, Anthoula Katsimatides, Peter M. Lehrer, Howard W. Lutnick, Julie Menin
Julie Menin
Julie Menin is the Chairperson of Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan, New York City and a frequent writer, blogger and television news commentator. A former regulatory attorney with special interests in environmental, FTC and FDA law, Menin was elected to CB1 in a 2005 special election and...
, Ira M. Millstein, Howard Milstein, Peter G. Peterson, Emily K. Rafferty, Kevin M. Rampe, David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
, Judith Rodin
Judith Rodin
Judith Rodin was the 7th president of the University of Pennsylvania from 1994 to 2004 and the first permanent female president of an Ivy League university. She is currently the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, a position she has held since 2005. A University of Pennsylvania alumna, she...
, Thomas H. Rogér, Jane Rosenthal
Jane Rosenthal
Jane Rosenthal is an American film producer.Rosenthal was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Providence, Rhode Island; she attended both Brown and New York University...
, E. John Rosenwald, Jr., Avi Schick, Andrew M. Senchak, Jerry Speyer
Jerry Speyer
Jerry I. Speyer is an American real estate tycoon. He is one of two founding partners of the prominent New York real estate company Tishman Speyer...
, Jon Stewart, Anne M. Tatlock, Daniel R. Tishman, Seth Waugh, John C. Whitehead
John C. Whitehead
John Cunningham Whitehead is an American banker and civil servant, currently a board member of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and, until his resignation in May 2006, chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.-Biography:He was born in Evanston, Illinois...
, and John Zuccotti.
Staff members
The President and CEO of the Memorial & Museum is Joseph C. Daniels, who was appointed in 2006. Alice M. Greenwald is the Memorial Museum Director and Executive Vice President for Programs. Other Senior Staff members are: Noelle Lilien (General Counsel), Allison Bailey Blais (Chief of Staff), Cathy Blaney (Executive Vice President, Development), Jim Connors (Executive Vice President of Operations), Sal Adinolfi (Executive Vice President of Design Construction and Capital Planning), David Langford (Vice President, Finance & Administration), Lou Mendes (Vice President, Design & Construction), and Lynn Rasic (Senior Vice President, Public Affairs & Communications).Construction of the World Trade Center site
Due to the complexities of the design plans for the entire 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) World Trade Center site and rising construction costs, major delays in the rebuilding of the site have occurred. The memorial was slated to be open for the 10th anniversary of the attacks and in fact did open on September 11, 2011 to victims' families and September 12, 2011 to the public; however, the museum will open at a later date. Many advocated for the completion of the memorial to be made the first priority in the construction effort so that it could open on time. The famous Vesey Street Stairs, also known as the Survivors' StaircaseSurvivors' Staircase
The Survivors' Staircase is the last visible structure above ground level at the World Trade Center site. It was originally two outdoor flights of granite-clad stairs and an escalator that connected Vesey Street to the World Trade Center's Austin J. Tobin Plaza...
, which will be permanently housed in the museum, was moved in July 2008 from where it had been located to the other side of the site in order to protect it from the ongoing construction and to place the artifact in the Memorial Museum.
National tour
In September 2007, the Memorial & Museum launched a four-month national awareness tour that stopped at 25 cities in 25 states where thousands participated in the tour’s activities. The tour began at Finlay Park in Columbia, South Carolina and ended at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Highlights from the tour included: an exhibition of photographs, artifacts from the site and a short film featuring firsthand accounts from individuals who had experienced 9/11 directly.At the opening ceremony in South Carolina, White Knoll Middle School’s students, who raised more than half a million dollars in 2001 to buy a new truck for New York City's Fire Department, were honored. Also at the ceremony, retired New York City Police Officer Marcelo Pevida presented the City of Columbia with an American flag that had flown over Ground Zero.
Signing of a construction beam
As the main attraction of the 2007 National Tour, steel beams that are to be used in the construction of the memorial was made available to visitors who wanted to sign their names onto it.Fundraising
The budget for the Memorial and Museum project, funded by private and public funds, is $530 million, with an additional $80 million grant from New York State for the construction of the museum pavilion. Of the $530 million, $350 million has been raised by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum through private donations and the remainder consists of federal grants through the LMDC.Cobblestone campaign
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum began a donation campaign where a contributor can sponsor a cobblestone or paver that will line the Memorial Plaza. Once the Memorial is completed, a donor will be able to locate his/her cobblestone or paver by entering his/her name at a kiosk on the Memorial Plaza.See also
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
- Lower Manhattan Development CorporationLower Manhattan Development CorporationThe Lower Manhattan Development Corporation was formed in July 2002, after the September 11 attacks to plan the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan and distribute nearly $10 billion in federal funds aimed at rebuilding downtown Manhattan....