The National 9/11 Memorial is now open to the public, allowing visitors to pay tribute to the victims of the terror attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993.
Located in the footprint of the World Trade Center, this touching memorial honors nearly 3,000 people that died in the attacks on Lower Manhattan, Flight 93 and the Pentagon.
Passes are free and available online through a simple registration system.
Reserving tickets
While admission to the 9/11 Memorial is free, an advance reservation is required. Visit the 9/11 Memorial Reservation System to secure your passes. The website includes special instructions for families of 9/11 victims (who have access to specially reserved passes) and groups of 16 or more.
When the memorial first opened in September, coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, tickets were hard to come by. The New York Times reported that passes for the first week in September were already sold out in July.
However, I was able to reserve four passes the night before a Saturday visit in early October. I’m sure it helped that my visit came during a holiday (Yom Kippur); in fact, there was no line at the gate and the crowd was light inside of the memorial.
Tribute to the victims
The centerpiece of the 9/11 Memorial is a set of reflecting pools built in the footprints of the World Trade Center.
Man-made waterfalls frame these massive squares and shimmer in the light reflected from nearby office buildings. Similar to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, the names of every victim are engraved on bronze panels surrounding the pools.
Reading the names of each victim– and realizing how many people died– puts a human face on this national tragedy. The 9/11 Memorial also commemorates the unborn children of 9/11 victims; several names are followed by phrase “and her unborn child.”
Visitors are encouraged to place tribute items besides the names on the bronze wall or on the ground. Items must be smaller than 8”x17”x19” and should not be thrown into the reflecting pools.
Limited facilities
Designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker, the memorial features a grassy area with benches for visitors who want to sit and reflect. However, that’s about the only feature that makes for a comfortable visitor experience.
Currently there are no restrooms on site, and you won’t be able to purchase a refreshment on a hot day. The museum, which is not yet open, may address these needs.
Photos of the 9/11 Memorial
Make sure to bring a camera when visiting the memorial, as you’ll want to capture the contrast between the buzz (and constant construction) of the outside city and the serenity within the memorial’s walls.
The following are original photos taken at the 9/11 Memorial during my visit in early October 2011.
For more information
Before heading to the memorial, visit the 9/11 Memorial website to learn more about reservations and security regulations.
Have you visited the 9/11 memorial?
Share your tips with other visitors by leaving a comment below! If you are reading this post via an email subscription, make sure to click on DowntownTraveler.com to leave your comment.
Stunning photos. I have not yet visited the site, I assumed it would be too hard to get tickets and figured I’d wait a bit until things settled down. But looks like it may be easier to get now. So sad about the women who died with their unborn children.
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I was surprised I was able to get 4 tickets to the 9/11 memorial the night before I visited. Just shows you never know, you might as well go online and try to reserve tickets whenever you are in town!
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Beautiful photos! Very professional!
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Thanks! Honestly, the memorial is so beautiful it’s hard to get a bad shot. I’d definitely recommend visiting the next time you are in Lower Manhattan.
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Compliments to the photographer! Some really nice shots there.
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Thanks Dave! I took the shots 🙂
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I visited the site when it was still being built quite a few years back now. The area just
has a sense of calm and stillness about it. A bit like when you yell in the middle of a tunnel and the noise seems to get lost somewhere far away. It’s such a sad tragedy and I hope to one day be able to pay my respects and the new memorial.
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Thanks for your comment, Gemma. The new 9/11 memorial retains the sense of calm and stillness that you mention. It really is a fitting tribute.
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So glad to see this is finally open – thanks for the preview. Will have to check it out when we head to NYC this year.
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The 9/11 memorial is definitely worth a visit when you make it to NYC!
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Very beautiful photos that are touching too.. Can’t believe that it’s been more than 10 years since the incident happened.. I would definitely visit this place if I ever go to NYC
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Very true– it’s hard to believe the attacks were 10 years ago. They are fresh in my mind!
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It reminds us History of the Attack but somehow we need to moved on. The pictures are Great and it melts my heart.
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We are heading to NY later in the year and will definitely be visiting the memorial. I’m glad I read this post, because I had no idea you had to reserve tickets…
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Glad you found this post helpful! Definitely visit the 9/11 memorial… it’s a beautiful tribute to the victims.
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Stunning pics and beautifully written article…I loved your line “puts a human face on this national tragedy.” So profound and true!! Thanks for this tour.
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