The Lens: Capturing Life and Events at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a photography series devoted to documenting moments big and small that unfold at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

The View: The Last Column being lowered into the 9/11 Memorial Museum on August 24, 2009, six years ago today. The 58-ton beam is so large that the 9/11 Memorial Museum was constructed around it. It was removed from Ground Zero on May 30, 2002 in a ceremony marking the end of the nine-month recovery effort and transported to an airline hangar at John F. Kennedy Airport for conservation before Museum construction began.

By Jenny Pachucki, 9/11 Memorial Content Strategist 

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Still strong at 237 years old: The United States Army recently had a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial as part of a series of special events in marking its 237th birthday.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Appreciation: Photographer Jin Lee sits in for Amy to snap pictures of a tribute thanking the men and women behind the nine-month recovery period, which ended May 30, 2002. The tribute was at the 9/11 Memorial on the 10-year anniversary of the official end of that effort.  

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Irish Navy: About 60 members of Ireland's Waterford Unit Naval Reserve placed a wreath at the trunk of the Survivor Tree at the 9/11 Memorial.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

In memory of:  Relatives, close friends and co-workers of the victims whose names are inscribed on the 9/11 Memorial are leaving behind various tributes. Since the memorial opened, Amy Dreher through her photography has been documenting all the tributes, from flowers and rosary beads to U.S. flags and the "You are loved" note tucked inside the inscribed name of George John Bishop.

Amy plans to post more pictures of these tributes on "The Lens" series. 

By 9/11 Memorial staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Snowflakes: For one day, snow blanketed the 9/11 Memorial as visitors walked around the reflecting pools to read victims' names. See more photos of the memorial here.

By Amy Dreher 

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Missing you:  Since opening in September, heartfelt mementos have adorned the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site. Some of the tributes left for victims, such as the one seen above, shows lost loved ones will be forever remembered as families gather for the holidays. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Never too young: A group called the "Downtown Kids Rebuild" proved you're never too young to make a difference. These youngsters raised $560.50 from sales of lemonade and cookies that was donated to the 9/11 Memorial.  

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Staff photographer Amy Dreher snaps a lot of pictures at the World Trade Center site, documenting the construction progress. Amy also trains her lens on the smaller pieces that may be overlooked with a project of this magnitude. Through “The Lens: Viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” readers of The MEMO blog can share some of the unique vantage points captured by Amy.

Realization: The world watched as Sept. 11 victims' families walked onto the Memorial on the 10-year anniversary of the attacks to touch loved ones' names inscribed in bronze. Today, the Memorial is open to visitors from all over the country and across the globe. They, too, can remember and honor the nearly 3,000 women, men and children who perished on 9/11.

By Amy Dreher