The MEMO Blog

The official blog of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum features stories of commemoration and memorialization, and information on our public programs, special events, and ways to get involved.

Dozens of square tiles that are varying shades of blue are seen up close in Memorial Hall.
Photo by Dan Winters

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Second Anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub Shooting

June 12, 2018

Tuesday, June 12, marks the second anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla., in which 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded by a gunman. During a tribute at the 9/11 Memorial in the days following the tragedy, then 9/11 Memorial & Museum President Joe Daniels said that the 9/11 community mourned with the city of Orlando and the families and friends of the victims.

Sharing the Memorials Registry: “Postcards,” 2004 – Staten Island, N.Y.

June 8, 2018

“Postcards” is a memorial honoring the 263 Staten Island residents killed in the September 11 attacks and 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Adjacent is a separate memorial to 73 Staten Island first responders who have died in recent years from exposure to toxic substances at the WTC site in the aftermath of 9/11.

Interpreting the Last Column: PAPD Team Romeo Marking

June 7, 2018

On 9/11 and in the following days, many retired Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) officers self-dispatched to Ground Zero to search for survivors. Expecting that officials would soon ask those without credentials to leave the site, some of these officers worked with the PAPD’s newly appointed Chief of Department, Joseph Morris, to form an official search and recovery team composed of retired PAPD members.

9/11 First Responder’s Artwork Now On View in a Special Exhibition in Brooklyn

June 5, 2018

Brenda Berkman is many things: a lawyer, an historian, a pioneering woman firefighter, a retired FDNY captain, a 9/11 first responder and Ground Zero recovery worker, a docent, a teacher, a White House Fellow and – added to her remarkable resume over the last decade – an accomplished artist.

NYC Sports Teams Visit Rescue and Recovery Workers at Ground Zero

June 1, 2018

In the days after Sept. 11, 2001, first responders and volunteers from all across the country came to Ground Zero to aid in the rescue, recovery and relief efforts. Surrounded by the rubble of the World Trade Center, these volunteers worked tirelessly in the hopes of finding survivors and ultimately, to recover victims’ remains and clean up the site.

Rescue and Recovery Workers Honored in Special Ceremony at 9/11 Memorial Museum

May 31, 2018

Members of the 9/11 community gathered at the 9/11 Memorial Museum Wednesday night to mark the 16th anniversary of the completion of the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.

Design Unveiled for Historic Evolution of 9/11 Memorial

May 30, 2018

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum unveiled the design for the historic evolution of the 9/11 Memorial on Wednesday, the 16th anniversary of the formal end of rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero.

Photo Archive Shows Dedication of Rescue and Recovery Workers

May 29, 2018

A family celebration in honor of his 43rd birthday on the evening of Sept. 10, 2001, led Donald Anderson to call his supervisor the following morning to request the day off. 

Hardhats of the Rescue and Recovery Effort

May 25, 2018

Ubiquitous in demolition and construction sites, hardhats are used both for safety and for identification purposes. The 9/11 Memorial Museum collection is home to several hardhats used during the rescue and recovery effort that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.

Remembering the Life and Service of Recovery Worker Paul W. Reedy Sr.

May 24, 2018

Paul W. Reedy Sr. (1945–2015) was born and raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y. He began his 17-year career with the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) as a construction agent and worked his way up to a director’s position before retiring in 2006.