New York, September 11 Memorial: Tips for a Memorable Visit

Every time I go to New York , for one reason or another, I happen to pass by the September 11 Memorial, because it's so central to the tourist routes. And every time, it's a heart-stopping experience. Perhaps it's because this place evokes those terrible images I always have before my eyes, but the fact is that, every time, I pause before the two large fountains erected where the Twin Towers once stood —which I've climbed so many times since I was a child—to read some of the names of the 2,977 people who fell in the terrorist attacks engraved in the black granite. And the thought that they're no longer there, that they've crumbled like the ash from a lit cigarette, always leaves me speechless.

At least once, however, you have to enter the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, better known as Ground Zero, at 180 Greenwich Street in Manhattan . And I did. If you've been lucky enough to climb the Twin Towers, your impression will change radically. If, however, you're too young to remember 9/11, visiting the Memorial is essential to understanding our modern history—and not just that of the United States of America , because over 90 countries lost citizens in the tragedy of the Twin Towers—so that it may serve as a warning for the future.

Visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum or 9/11 Memorial & Museum includes an outdoor space and the underground museum.

The September 11 Memorial

It was inaugurated on September 11, 2011, ten years after the attacks. Since then, it has been visited by millions of people every year. In 2024 alone, the Memorial was visited by 1.6 million visitors. It is a free, open space built where the Twin Towers once stood.

The swimming pools

The project, titled “Reflecting Absence,” by architect Michael Arad and landscape designer Peter Walker features two cascading pools surrounded by bronze railings bearing the names of victims of the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The pools are set in a plaza planted with more than 400 white oak trees.

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The Glade – The clearing

The two architects of the 9/11 Memorial also designed The Glade as a path lined with six large stone monoliths, weighing between 13 and 18 tons, inlaid with steel from the World Trade Center and accompanied by an inscription at each end of the path. Inaugurated in 2019, it is located near the Survivor Tree, roughly where the main ramp used during rescue and recovery operations once stood.

The Survivor Tree – The Survivor Tree

A pear tree is the "Survivors' Tree," the only one to have resisted the terrorist attacks of September 11th. With some burned branches and damaged roots, it was recovered by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and replanted in 2010. It is easily recognizable among the other trees at Ground Zero by the number of votive offerings placed at the base of the tree.

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The 9/11 Museum

The 9/11 Museum is a true indoor museum, partially underground, as it was built where the foundations of the Twin Towers once stood—the slab—of which a few pylons remain. As soon as you enter, it's impossible not to notice the blue wall featuring a verse from Virgil's Aeneid book 9: "NO DAY SHALL ERASE YOU FROM MEMORY OF TIME" (in Latin "Nulla dies umquam memori vos eximet aevo," "No day shall ever erase you from the memory of time").

Historical exhibition

The opening section features the Historical Exposition, which tells the story of the events of September 11, 2001. It is divided into three sections: “Before 9/11,” which covers the historical context and circumstances that led to the terrorist attacks; “The Events of the Day,” which provides a minute-by-minute account of the attacks; and “After 9/11,” which examines the immediate and long-term consequences of the event.

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The Collection

Inside the museum, thousands of memorabilia commemorating that day are preserved, including documents, artifacts, audio recordings, photographs, and historical materials related to both 9/11 and the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, which is too rarely discussed. This area is called The Collection. Among these, the “Last Column” stands out for its size and significance . It was the last steel column removed from the rubble of the towers, later decorated with dedications, symbols, and signatures. It also houses the original retaining wall of the Hudson River, known as the “slurry wall,” which resisted the collapse of the buildings. These are part of the Permanent Collection. A damaged fire truck, one of the heroes of 9/11 , is also on display.

Memorial Exhibition

The Memorial Exhibition, meanwhile, features approximately 3,000 portraits of the victims, arranged on panels with interactive tablets for searching personal information. There are also always Special Exhibitions. The most moving part is the immersive underground tour that leads deep into the World Trade Center site. Furthermore, one room, the K-9 Courage Exhibition, is dedicated to the true heroes of 9/11, the police dogs whose intervention was crucial in rescuing the victims.

The museum has a paid admission fee (full admission costs $36) and is included in the CityPASS (which I always recommend purchasing to save money and speed up your visits). It is open every day except Tuesdays (except in exceptional circumstances) from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (last admission 90 minutes before closing). Reservations are required.

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New York, September 11 Memorial: Tips for a Memorable Visit
Every time I go to New York , for one reason or another, I happen to pass by the September 11 Memorial, because it's so central to the tourist routes. And every time, it's a heart-stopping experience. Perhaps it's because this place evokes those terrible images I always have before my eyes, but the fact is that, every time, I pause before the two large fountains erected where the Twin Towers once stood —which I've climbed so many times since I was a child—to read some of the names of the 2,977 people who fell in the terrorist attacks engraved in the black granite. And the thought that they're no longer there, that they've crumbled like the ash from a lit cigarette, always leaves me speechless.

At least once, however, you have to enter the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, better known as Ground Zero, at 180 Greenwich Street in Manhattan . And I did. If you've been lucky enough to climb the Twin Towers, your impression will change radically. If, however, you're too young to remember 9/11, visiting the Memorial is essential to understanding our modern history—and not just that of the United States of America , because over 90 countries lost citizens in the tragedy of the Twin Towers—so that it may serve as a warning for the future.
Visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum or 9/11 Memorial & Museum includes an outdoor space and the underground museum.
The September 11 Memorial
It was inaugurated on September 11, 2011, ten years after the attacks. Since then, it has been visited by millions of people every year. In 2024 alone, the Memorial was visited by 1.6 million visitors. It is a free, open space built where the Twin Towers once stood.
The swimming pools
The project, titled “Reflecting Absence,” by architect Michael Arad and landscape designer Peter Walker features two cascading pools surrounded by bronze railings bearing the names of victims of the September 11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The pools are set in a plaza planted with more than 400 white oak trees.
View this post on Instagram