National Memorials that commemorate Patriot Day

 On December 18, 2001, Congress approved naming September 11 “Patriot Day” to commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. In 2009, Congress named September 11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

     The first memorials to September 11 came in the immediate wake of the attacks, with candlelight vigils and flower tributes at U.S. embassies around the world.      

     For the first anniversary of the attacks in New York City in 2002, two bright columns of light were shot up into the sky from where the Twin Towers once stood. 

The Survivor Tree

     A Callery pear tree became known as the “Survivor Tree” after enduring the September 11, 2001 terror attacks at the World Trade Center.

    In October 2001, a severely damaged tree was discovered at Ground Zero, with snapped roots and burned and broken branches. The tree was removed from the rubble and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

    After its recovery and rehabilitation, the tree was returned to the Memorial in 2010. New, smooth limbs extended from the gnarled stumps, creating a visible demarcation between the tree’s past and present. Today, the tree stands as a living reminder of resilience.

9/11 Memorial Glade

     In the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, tens of thousands of men and women from across the nation and around the world responded.

    Rescuers and recovery workers toiled night and day for nine months. What began as a rescue operation turned into the grim work of recovering those who had been killed. Workers also had to remove nearly two million tons of debris. Through sheer determination, they paved the way for rebuilding. Their sacrifice would be met with suffering.

    On the day of the attacks and throughout the recovery, hundreds of thousands—responders and survivors, workers and residents—were exposed to hazards and toxins in the air at and around the World Trade Center site, resulting in chronic illnesses and the deaths of thousands. Responders and workers at all three attack sites, including the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, have been affected. For the injured, sick, and dying, and for their families and friends, 9/11 has remained an all-too-present reality.

     The 9/11 Memorial Glade is dedicated in their honor.     

         The Glade’s design includes a pathway flanked by six large stone monoliths. Their design incorporates steel from the original World Trade Center site.

     The Glade was dedicated on May 30, 2019. It is located just west of the Survivor Tree, roughly where the primary ramp that was used during the rescue and recovery effort once stood.     

9/11 Memorial and Museum

    Through commemoration, exhibitions, and educational programs, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum remembers and honors those killed in the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001.

    The Memorial & Museum attests to the triumph of human dignity over human depravity and affirms an unwavering commitment to the fundamental value of human life.    

       Exhibition spaces provide visitors with an encounter with the story of the attacks situated within the authentic site of the World Trade Center. The Museum’s core exhibitions are located inside the footprints of the North and South Towers. In Memoriam, the Museum’s memorial exhibition are in the South Tower footprint. 

     The Museum also has two galleries for rotating, temporary exhibitions. The South Tower Gallery in the South Tower footprint is dedicated to exhibitions of photography and artwork.