Since opening in September 2011, the 9/11 Memorial has welcomed more than a million visitors from across the globe – people who have come to these hallowed grounds to remember, reflect and pay tribute.  In addition to seeing the names of the nearly 3,000 victims and standing in the place where the twin towers once stood, many have been moved to capture and share their moments at the memorial.

The MEMO blog has shared pictures visitors posted to the memorial’s Facebook wall and via Twitter, but thousands more photos are also available for viewing on Flickr.  A quick Flickr search for “National September 11 Memorial” yielded more than 4,000 photos as a result.  The Flickr map feature even lets users see where photos were taken while at the memorial.

 By 9/11 Memorial staff

The National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site has reached a major milestone of welcoming more than one million visitors since opening to the general public on Sept. 12, after its dedication for victims' families on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

In less than four months, people from all 50 states and more than 120 countries have reserved passes to visit the memorial.

"For 10 years, people were only able to walk the perimeter of the World Trade Center site, stealing glances at the progress through construction fences," 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels said. "As of today, more than one million people have returned to this sacred ground to pay their respects, and are able to witness the rebuilding of the World Trade Center all around them. It humbles us to see that the public's will to commemorate the victims of 9/11 is as strong as ever."

See Good Day New York’s interview with Daniels at MyFoxNY.com. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff 

In October, Travel + Leisure magazine asked its readers to vote for their favorite new landmarks, and the National September 11 Memorial was honored with a nomination as the best new park or public space. Read more about it here.

The January issue of the magazine, which hits newsstands this week, announced the results of the survey.  The memorial took the No. 1 spot in its category, followed by Millennium Park in Chicago and Sands SkyPark at Marina Bay in Singapore.

The memorial was also named the No. 18 most-visited landmark in the world, with the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building rounding out the No.1 and No. 2 spots, respectively.

By 9/11 Memorial staff

Self-described political junkie, intrepid explorer and photographer Chase Guttman recently visited the 9/11 Memorial.  Read Guttman’s report and memories of being a kindergartener on 9/11, and see photos of his visit, all at huffingtonpost.com. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

Kim Wright, the director of marketing and reservations for the 9/11 Memorial, recently sat down with the MEMO blog to answer some frequently asked questions about visiting the memorial.

Q: Why are timed passes needed to visit the 9/11 Memorial?A: When you visit, you’ll see that construction continues at the World Trade Center site.  During this interim period in which the 9/11 Memorial’s visitor capacity is affected by surrounding construction projects, the temporary timed reservation system will help reduce potential wait times and ensure as many people as possible are able to visit.  We simply want to ensure that the visitor experience is safe and meaningful. The response has been remarkable. We have had more than 500,000 visitors in about two months.  

Q: Is there a charge for the passes?A: Passes to the memorial are free, but we need your help to ensure this sacred place is preserved for generations to come. When making an online reservation, consider making a donation with your reservation. You can also make an in-person donation at our Visitor Center upon exiting the memorial. Contributions are dedicated to developing and sustaining the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Q: How should visitors get passes to the 9/11 Memorial?A: Reserving passes to the 9/11 Memorial is simple. Just visit 911memorial.org/visit, choose the date and time you’d like to visit, and select the number of people who are coming.  Fill in a few pieces of information, including the names of those visiting, and confirm.  We’ll email passes directly to you or you can choose to pick up the passes at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site located just a few blocks away from the memorial.  

Q: What if the time and date needed is not available?A: We regularly release passes online, so if your preferred date and time is not currently available, check back the afternoon before or the day you’d like to visit. We do, however, strongly recommend that you reserve passes as far in advance as possible to ensure you are able to visit when you’d like.  A limited number of passes for same-day visits are also available daily on a first-come, first-served basis at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site at 20 Vesey St. (at Church Street) beginning at 9 a.m., the NYC & Co. kiosk at City Hall and the NY Water Taxi booth at the South Street Seaport.

Q: What would you say to visitors who are unable to travel to the Memorial?A:  Through thoughtful innovations, we’ve developed other ways for people to experience the 9/11 Memorial and honor the people who were lost.  You can download the Memorial Guide and Explore 9/11 apps (both are free), explore content on the Make History website or browse the resources on our website including photo galleries, interactive timelines and more.  Our EarthCam webcam even gives you live views of the memorial 24/7, and you can always connect with the Memorial via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Q: Any insider tips for MEMO readers?A: The 9/11 Memorial is meant to be experienced at all times of the day, so don’t discount those later availabilities.  In my opinion, the memorial can be at its most beautiful in the evening.   

For more answers to your questions about visiting the 9/11 Memorial, see our FAQ.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff