New York: 9/11 Memorial Museum & Ground Zero

When we were planning our trip to New York, as much as we had a list a mile long of things we wanted to see and do, all three of us were adamant that the 9/11 Memorial Museum and Ground Zero was a real must. Having spent the last 19 years watching the events on our television screens, reading about it in the news and talking about it amongst ourselves, we knew it would be an emotional visit but a very necessary one at that.

With our hotel on Times Square, we got the subway (train 2 or 3) to One World Observatory in just a few minutes and arrived at the Memorial Museum for opening at 9am.

The Memorial is the first thing you see, and it truly takes your breath away. Located on eight of the sixteen acre World Trade Center complex, it is a place of remembrance and contemplation and although we have seen it pictures and on film, standing right there in that spot makes you feel a whole range of emotions, including an overwhelming sense of loss.

The Memorial features twin waterfall pools, surrounded by bronze parapets that list the names of the victims of the 9.11 attacks and the 1993 Word Trade Center bombing, bordered with more than 400 swap white oak trees.

Although we all know that 3000 people tragically lost their lives that day, seeing each of those 3000 names engraved on the parapets feels overwhelmingly different. I found it incredibly sad to read many of the names, seeing how they had been arranged in a system of meaningful adjacencies – family members, friends, colleagues, as well as the crew of each flight, responder agencies and units. The names which really broke my heart were the ones which simply added “and her unborn child”.

Whilst visiting the Memorial is free to the public, entering the Memorial Museum requires a ticket. We used our New York Explorer Passes but for those wanting to pay on the day this costs $26 per adult for the museum entry and $46 for entry and a 60 minute museum tour with an English speaking guide. On entering the museum you must go through airport level security which seems to be the case for all attractions in New York. For this reason arriving early is recommended to avoid the queues later in the day.

It’s difficult to find the right words to describe the atmosphere as you enter the museum and none I could think of would do it justice. It has been perfectly done, creating the most peaceful  and thought provoking space, as well as being utterly beautiful to look at. As much as the museum provokes feelings of absolute devastation, it also makes you feel a real sense of hope and pride, and it’s a strange mix of emotions to deal with.

I’m sure that every single one of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news that the planes had hit, I know I do. Aged 21, home alone at my parents house, I had been phoned by a friend who told me to turn on the television as the events unfolded. I can remember sitting there in absolute horror watching the footage as the second plane hit and knowing that our whole worlds were changed forever.

As you walk around the Museum there are photographs, videos and personal accounts of the events, all of which are incredibly moving. I think it’s very different to have watched or read about these events from my home back in the UK compared to standing there in New York, at the place where it all happened, and it really hits home just how shocked and terrified everyone must have been when the planes hit.

It’s also hugely poignant that throughout the museum there are original pieces from the towers. The original plaque has been rescued and displayed, as well as many of the iron beams supporting the towers, now hugely distorted with the impact.

One of the saddest displays was that of the missing posters, shared across the city after 9/11 where friends and family desperately tried to find their missing loved ones. These posters broke my heart thinking of how utterly desperate these people must have been, fearing the worst and yet holding on to that last scrap of hope.

Downstairs there is a huge wall, decorated with blue mosaic tiles, simply reading the words, “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.” I stood and looked at that wall for such a long time and the words resonated with me in so many ways.

As emotional as it is to walk through the museum, there are also interesting displays including items and murals created to honour those who lost their lives that day. From motorbikes decorated to pay their respects, to a beautiful mural on a fire station door to commemorate the fire fighters lost that day, these items feel so uplifting to know that the whole world is remembering all of those lost. I imagine this brings so much comfort to those who lost a loved one that day.

There is a whole gallery dedicated to the working dogs from 9/11, those who helped with rescues in the towers, searching for survivors in the aftermath, and comforted those left behind. I thought this was such a lovely touch.

Downstairs you can also see the original foundations of both towers and more of the metal beams from the wreckage. To be stood there, right at the spot where such a tragedy occurred physically gives you goosebumps and It’s difficult to associate such a peaceful setting with the chaos, panic and devastation on that day. I think unless you have visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum it’s impossible to fully explain that feeling, but it will stay with me for always.

Although we did not do the tour in the museum, we did speak to a couple of members of staff who told us various stories about the items on display. The story of Ladder 3 was heartbreaking, hearing about their desperate attempts to save those trapped in the towers, learning a little more about the fire fighters and how, before they had entered the towers, knowing what lay ahead they had all embraced, shook hands, and thanked each other for their friendship. Sadly there were no survivors of Ladder 3.

We could have spent hours in the Memorial Museum, just reading every plaque, looking at the photos (many of which were not allowed to be photographed, and rightly so), and taking it all in. Should we have had more time I would have read every single information sign and personal account but instead we spend just two hours in there, during which time we read and saw as much as possible.

Towards the end you can sign your name on a map, leave a message of hope or draw a picture, and the messages are projected onto the original walls of the towers. It’s unbelievable when you look at the map just how many people have travelled from right across the world to pay their respects, and equally heart warming at the same time. As much as the world can feel like such a scary place at times, seeing how America fought back from this, whilst honouring all of those lost, was inspiring, and I know we left the museum feeling truly humbled.

If you’re visiting New York and considering going to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, I can’t recommend it enough. It taught us that life is so very short and you never know what’s going to happen when you wake up each morning, that those who are lost are never forgotten, and that together we can survive anything, even the impossible.