In Memoriam
The memorial exhibition honors the 2,977 individuals killed as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the six individuals killed in the bombing of the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993.
About the Exhibition
Immediately conveying the enormity of loss, a floor-to-ceiling presentation of 2,983 portrait photographs surrounds visitors as they enter the gallery. These four walls present a true cross-section of humanity, ages 2 and a half to 85, from more than 90 nations, spanning the spectrum of ethnicities, socioeconomic sectors, and faith traditions.
Using touchscreen tables, visitors can learn more about the victims’ lives. Individual profiles are searchable by name, birthplace, place of residence, and employer. Through the touchscreen tables, we remember people for how they lived their lives rather than how they died.
The gallery’s inner chamber provides a more intimate space for remembrance. Profiles of victims are projected onto the walls of this room along with personal photographs and recorded remembrances left by family members, friends, and former colleagues.
Objects on View
Artifact cases feature displays of recovered property and objects reflecting the interests and activities of the victims before their lives were cut short. New artifacts are displayed annually. This year, the commemorative objects on view reference individual victims’ hobbies, writings, or drawings.
Giraffe figurine belonging to Leonard Anthony White
Collection 9/11 Memorial Museum, Gift of the White family in memory of our brother, Leonard Anthony White
Leonard White cherished going to the opera, exploring art galleries, and attending Broadway shows. Impressed by the elaborate giraffe costumes in a production of The Lion King, Leonard began collecting giraffe figurines. His family continues to collect giraffe-related memorabilia in his honor.
Timeline drawn by Lisa Anne Frost at age 12
Collection 9/11 Memorial Museum, Gift of Thomas Frost
In May 2001, Lisa Frost graduated summa cum laude from Boston University. She had been a dedicated student since childhood. Lisa’s father credits her sixth-grade teacher as a formative role model for Lisa. Lisa created this biographical timeline for that teacher’s class at Trabuco Mesa Elementary School in Orange County, California, when she was 12 years old. It documents milestones from her birth in 1978 to the start of the school year in 1990.
Mission to Remember: Acquiring Artifacts
As part of our mission to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 terrorist attacks, the 9/11 Memorial Museum works with family members, close friends, and coworkers to collect artifacts and spoken remembrances that illustrate the lives, personalities, and passions of those who were killed.
In the video below, Executive Vice President of Collections and Chief Curator Jan Seidler Ramirez shares how her team collects objects for display in the Museum.