2022 Annual Report

Twenty-one years after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum remains steadfast in its mission to commemorate, educate, and inspire. We once again led the world in honoring the nearly 2,983 people who were killed on September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993.

Two American flags and a red flower

Together we marked another milestone, coming together on May 30, 2022 for the 20th anniversary of the formal end of rescue, recovery, and relief operations at Ground Zero. The Memorial Glade ceremony paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of thousands of responders and volunteers, and commemorated those who have died due to 9/11-related illnesses. We strengthened our education commitment through a new national partnership that disseminated our annual anniversary digital learning experience (formerly Anniversary in the Schools) to a wider audience, expanded Memorial & Museum operational hours, and launched an evergreen professional program for first responder recruits.

Our Mission

In September, 6,000 family members and their guests attended our 21st commemoration of September 11, 2001 on the anniversary of the attacks, with 30,000 people tuning into the live stream and 32,000 people gathering at the Memorial throughout the day. Our annual Anniversary Digital Learning Experience (formerly Anniversary in the Schools) reached more than 500,000 students and teachers from all 50 states, three territories, and 18 countries. This year’s program was enhanced by a new partnership with AMC Theatres that gave groups and organizations across the country a special opportunity to host screenings of the anniversary film at their local AMC Theatres the week leading up to 9/11.

Over the course of the year, our Collections team acquired more than 600 new items, bringing the Museum’s collection holdings to more than 74,000 items. Additionally, our public and professional programs reached nearly 6,000 people, and the team launched a new program for probationary firefighters, now a mandatory part of FDNY graduation requirements. Of the total participants, 3,500 were members of the FDNY, EMS, NYPD, PAPD, and FBI. In 2022, we were once again ranked as the #1 museum in New York City and #1 museum in the United States by TripAdvisor.com and received a Regional Employer Award from the New York State Department of Education Adult Career & Continuing Education Services for our commitment to supporting people with disabilities.

Infographic

We are especially grateful for the generous support of our donors and members who sustain the 9/11 Memorial & Museum as we continue to commemorate, educate, and inspire. On behalf of the entire organization, our Chairman Michael R. Bloomberg, and our President & CEO Beth Hillman, we thank you for your support. Enjoy our 2022 highlights video.

 

Memorial & Museum Leadership

Memorial pool

The 21st Anniversary Commemoration

Scenes from the 21st anniversary commemoration

Each year on the anniversary of 9/11, the families of victims gather for a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial plaza to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks and February 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Six moments of silence mark the times when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck, when each tower fell, and the times corresponding to the attack at the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.  

This year, 6,000 family members and their guests attended the 21st anniversary ceremony, more than 30,000 tuned in to the ceremony live-stream, and more than 32,000 people visited the Memorial throughout the day.   

Numerous elected officials attended the ceremony, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governors Kathy Hochul and Phil Murphy, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

Collage of images showing skies on September 11, 2022

Once again, this year, we invited the public to engage in commemoration online through our Remember the Sky social media campaign. Nearly 75,000 people interacted with the campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, posting photos of skies worldwide to symbolize our unity and noting the occasion with the hashtag #neverforget911. Hundreds more submitted personal memories and messages to the Remembrance Wall.

Officers salute Tribute of Light installation

 

Our annual public art installation Tribute in Light illuminated the foggy sky from dusk till dawn on the anniversary. Viewable within a 60-mile radius of lower Manhattan, the twin beams of blue light honor those killed and symbolize the city's collective resilience. The presentation of Tribute in Light is made possible in part by support of the Anheuser-Busch Foundation.  

As an extension of Tribute in Light, we once again partnered with NYC & Company and buildings throughout the city who lit up their facades and rooftops in sky blue. Participants on the 21st anniversary included the Empire State Building, Bloomberg L.P., the Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, One World Trade Center, the Oculus, Brookfield Place, New York City Hall, RXR Realty buildings, the Helmsley Building, the Bank of America Tower, Barclays Bank U.S. Headquarters, One Vanderbilt, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of the City of New York, Queens Museum, New York Hall of Science, Queens Borough Hall, Niagara Falls, MTA Long Island Railroad East End Gateway at Penn Station, the H. Carl McCall SUNY Building, Empire State Plaza in Albany, the New York State Education Building, the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building, the New York State Fairgrounds, Albany International Airport Gateway, the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, Luna Park in Coney Island, JFK Air Traffic Control Tower, LGA West Parking Garage, and bridges throughout the state including the Goethals Bridge, Bayonne Bridge, Kosciuszko Bridge, Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Fairport Lift Bridge, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge.  

Tribute in Lights across the city

Regina Wilson in uniform

 

Over 500,000 individuals worldwide participated in our signature commemorative educational program. Participants learned about 9/11 through personal stories from board member Keating CrownFDNY firefighter Regina WilsonPAPD Lieutenant David Lim, and filmmaker and 9/11 health advocate, Bridget Gormley and recognized the importance of commemoration during this 35-minute program.

The 2022 Anniversary Digital Learning Experience — made possible in partnership with the New York Life Foundation — can be viewed here.

This year, we partnered with AMC Theatres for an inaugural initiative complementing our annual anniversary digital learning experience. Anniversary in the Theaters gave groups and organizations across the country a special opportunity to host screenings of our 2022 film at their local AMC Theatres during the week leading up to 9/11. View WPIX's coverage of the new partnership. 

To launch this new partnership, we hosted a local premiere event for educators and other partners at the AMC Lincoln Square 13, featuring a post-screening discussion with 2022 Digital Learning Experience speakers FDNY firefighter Regina Wilson, Bridget Gormley, and David Lim.  

Approximately 800 guests — including teachers, students, and first responders — attended events in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. 

 

We were pleased to host our annual benefit dinner in person for the first time since 2019, convening a vibrant celebration of our staunchest supporters and spreading messages of our unwavering commitment to never forget. This year, we are proud to say we exceeded our fundraising goal thanks to our dedicated donors whose generosity preserves the Memorial & Museum as a sacred place of remembrance, reflection, and learning for generations to come.  

At this year’s September benefit, we were proud to recognize Trustee Ira M. Millstein with the Lifetime Achievement Distinction; Trustee Richard Edelman and his wife Claudia Edelman with The Vartan Gregorian Never Forget Distinction; and Daisey M. Holmes from BNY Mellon with the Philanthropic Leadership Distinction. The event also featured performances from actor and comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, and singer, songwriter, and composer Rufus Wainwright.

Honorees on stage at the benefit

In the News

Local and national press showcased this year’s anniversary commemoration, the ongoing impact of 9/11, and the stories of those killed. 

 

Jim Maroon stands in Memorial Pool

2022 Highlights

Through the strength of the 9/11 community and the milestones we marked, 2022 showed once again that kindness, unity, and compassion can brighten even the darkest days.  

On February 26, we commemorated the 29th anniversary of the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 and honored the six victims and thousands injured. The ceremony included an honor guard and moment of silence, along with a reading of the victims' names. 

February 26, 1993 commemoration ceremony

At the end of February, we launched a professional program designed for probationary firefighters, which focuses on the role of the FDNY on 9/11 and during the recovery operations. The program will now become a mandatory part of FDNY graduation requirements. Watch a powerful glimpse inside the first program in the trailer above.

FDNY program attendees in the auditorium

We reached and surpassed an important milestone this year, selling our one millionth tour ticket in March. Our expert-led tours are the best way to experience the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Visitors gain a deeper understanding about what happened on 9/11 and those affected through compelling artifacts and stories. Tours explore both the Museum and the Memorial, and each tour focuses on different aspects of the 9/11 story. Museum tour participants receive expedited entry into the Museum. Learn more about the different tour offerings and reserve your ticket here today.

Museum tour participants at the Spencer Finch installation

 

On April 24, we welcomed nearly 3,000 walkers and runners for the annual 9/11 Memorial & Museum 5K Run/Walk, presented by RXR. It was a special event made more meaningful by the fact that it took place in person for the first time since 2019. Together we followed part of the route rescue and recovery workers took as they made their way to Ground Zero more than 20 years ago. From start to finish, participants remembered all those killed and honored the heroic responders who put their own lives at risk to save others. Thank you to all for partaking and to our many event sponsors for your support. Watch our promo video, read this article about the 2022 5K and join us again – in person – on Sunday, April 30!

 

Each year on May 30, we honor the courage and sacrifice of all 9/11 rescue, recovery, and relief workers, as well as survivors and members of the lower Manhattan community. The commemorative ceremony held on this date, marks the anniversary of the formal end of the historic recovery efforts at Ground Zero. This year, we once again gathered in-person on the Memorial Glade to observe the 20th anniversary of the May 30, 2002 closing ceremony. 

 

May 30 commemoration

 

Survivor Tree illuminated in blue and yellow for Ukraine

In recognition of International Museum Day on May 18, 2022, we lit the Survivor Tree in blue and yellow to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our museum colleagues in the country. We welcomed Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine Representative to the UN, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Representative to the U.N., and additional representatives from the international community to gather at the Survivor Tree as a display of unity and resiliency.  

Stars of Hope painted by 9/11 Memorial & Museum employees adorned the base of the tree and were delivered to Ukraine-connected organizations and soldiers on the frontlines as a sign of support to the community.  

Soldiers in Ukraine holding handmade Stars of Hope

 

Read more about the special event in our blog post: Ukraine Close to Our Hearts on International Museum Day

After a two-year hiatus, we were thrilled to welcome back the United States Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard to New York City and our Memorial for a ceremony. Fleet Week is the traditional celebration of our country’s valued sea service men and women. We thank you for your service. 

Fleet Week on the Memorial

 

Albert Ogletree and Antonio Pratt portraits

On Tuesday, March 15, 2022, the long-lost portrait of victim Albert Ogletree was installed in the In Memoriam Memorial Museum exhibition. Until 2022, the oak leaf symbol was used to represent him in the exhibition. No family members had come forward to contribute to his memory. His photograph was discovered in his high school yearbook, offered on loan by Kathy Abdo, Romulus Councilwoman and former teacher at Romulus Community Schools in Michigan. The photograph was scanned from the yearbook, and the book was returned to the city. Ogletree's stepdaughter, Justine Jones, noted that his looks had not really changed at all between the 1966 high school yearbook photo and 2001 when Ogletree died in the North Tower as an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald Forte Foods Service at age 49. 

Read more about the quest to find the missing portrait in our blog post and the following news stories: WCBS, WNBC, NY1, Detroit Free Press, Vanity Fair France, and NYT

Just a few months later, on June 29, 2022, the last portrait missing of a 9/11 victim was installed in the In Memoriam exhibition. Like Ogletree, an oak leaf symbol had represented Antonio Dorsey Pratt in the Memorial Exhibition as no family members or friends had come forward to contribute to his memory, and former employers did not have images of him. Pratt’s portrait was discovered through Voices Center for Resilience, an organization started after 9/11 that is dedicated to remembering the victims. Pratt was also an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald Forte Food Service on the 101st floor of the North Tower.  

Read more about Antonio and the journey to finding his portrait in the following media story highlights: AP, Daily Mail, WNBC, and amNewYorkMetro

During the 77th United Nations General Assembly, we hosted many heads of states, ministers, and delegation members at the Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and all global terrorism. Visits included the First Lady and Prime Minister of Ukraine; the Prime Minister of Greece, led on a tour by board member and 9/11 family member Anthoula Katsimatides (pictured below); and the President of Kosovo, led on a tour by Visionary Network member and 9/11 family member Sean Egan. Other dignitaries included the Prime Minister of Montenegro, First Lady of Seychelles, and Lithuania’s Speaker of the Parliament.   

77th United Nations General Assembly Memorial visit

This year, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Visionary Network hosted its first in-person event in the Museum Auditorium to screen Visionary Network member Bridget Gormley’s documentary film, Dust: The Lingering Legacy of 9/11. Gormley created the documentary in the wake of her father's death. Billy Gormley was an FDNY firefighter who lost his battle with 9/11-related lung and bladder cancer in 2017, which sparked Bridget's desire to become a filmmaker and advocate for those who are sick or have died from exposure to hazards and toxins in the aftermath of 9/11. 

Beth Hillman, Bridget Gormley, and guest at "DUST" screening in the auditorium

Each year in honor of Veterans Day, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum hosts a week-long Salute to Service recognizing veterans and active military members, as well as the families and communities that support them. This year, in addition to active military and veterans, we also offered free admission to their guests and Blue and Gold Star families. In 2022, more than 1,250 qualifying individuals took advantage of the program and reserved Museum tickets, up more than 40% from 2021.  

Veterans Day on the Memorial

 

The fifth annual 9/11 Memorial & Museum Summit on Security, presented by Fiserv, took place on Thursday, November 10, 2022. It included virtual access to impactful, on-demand content that brought together some of the world’s leading voices on security matters from across the public and private sectors to build on the discussion of how to make companies, cities, and nations safer.

In our fifth year, we were privileged to have the partnership of Summit on Security Chairs Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Immediate Past President and CEO of TIAA; Jeh Johnson, partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP and former Secretary of Homeland Security; Admiral William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy (Retired); and Caryn Seidman-Becker, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of CLEAR. Watch highlights here

Museum Recognition

Museum exterior with American flag in foreground

 

New York State Education Department logo

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is committed to supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Part of this commitment is realized through our partnership with the FAR Fund, through which we have supported six neurodiverse interns in the retail department over the past five years. Through this program, we have developed meaningful and productive partnerships with local disability non-profits who have provided us with support and candidates for these positions.   

In 2022, one of our partners, AHRC-NYC, nominated us for a Regional Employer Award from the New York State Department of Education Adult Career & Continuing Education Services, recognizing our commitment to supporting people with disabilities. We proudly accepted the award in October, National Disability Employment Awareness month. Read more about our partnership and a past participant here.  

This year, the 9/11 Memorial Museum celebrated its eighth year of public operations and maintained its position, as ranked by TripAdvisor.com, as:

  • The #1 Museum in NYC
  • The #2 Thing to Do in NYC
  • The #1 Museum in the United States

We were also included at the top of TimeOut New York’s list of the five “must see landmarks in the United States.” Not only is the Memorial & Museum ranked as the second most revered landmark in America, but we have nearly double the total number of reviews and five-stars reviews as the first-ranked landmark.

Trip Advisor and TimeOut logos

 

White rose on Memorial

“Thank you. As always it means so very much to have (victim’s name) remembered. Some years seem longer than others. This was one of those. This helped. Thank you we appreciate all you continue to do for us. We know it’s not easy. Our wish is for your health and happiness in the coming year.”  

 

“Thank you so much for these beautiful photos! I appreciate your remembering my husband with this ceremony each year. It truly means a lot to our family!”  

“Thank you as always. Your annual gesture may be small to you, but it is huge to us. We love seeing this photo each year and appreciate your taking the time to do this.”  

“Thank you so much; I truly appreciate what your do - I still think of her every day; she was a wonderful, hardworking, sweet Mom, loved her so much and miss her bright smile and great sense of humor. Thanks again.”  

“It is so lovely that you continue this tradition. My family and I are so appreciative of these efforts - it means a great deal to all of us. Thank you so very much for continuing to honor and remember our loved ones. We are most grateful.”  

“Thank you so much for doing this for my beautiful sister every year. It means so much to our family. We appreciate your kindness and hard work.” 

“This ongoing gesture does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all you do for our dear sister. Always thankful to your hard work and very thoughtful gesture. It is really beautiful. It means a lot to us.”  

“Thank you…  looking at the white rose had me in tears and at same time happy knowing after these years she still has somebody remembering and caring for our lost love ones. Your kindness and efforts are highly appreciated. God bless you always.”  

Reopening & Revitalization

Exterior of the Museum

This year, we made large strides in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the Museum reopening to the public in the fall of 2020, certain areas remained closed to ensure we could provide a safe environment for our visitors. Following state and federal health and safety regulations, this spring we successfully reopened the alcoves, audio wands, and touchscreens in the Historical Exhibition; the audio wands, Last Column Interactive, Signing Steel Interactive, and bench monitors in Foundation Hall; and the video projection in the South Tower Excavation. We enhanced the Museum experience even further with the reopening of our cafe, a restorative space overlooking the Memorial pools, where guests can pause, reflect, and reengage for continued immersion. 

Museum cafe

While our staff was hard at work coordinating the reopening of Museum spaces and the expansion of institutional hours, we also made significant physical enhancements that lowered costs, improved environmental consciousness, and helped to ensure the Memorial & Museum will remain a resource of commemoration, education, and inspiration for generations to come.  

A five-year-long diagnostic initiative focused on the surviving, original Slurry Wall remnant, funded by an American Express-supported grant, concluded at the start of July. The project’s expert consulting engineers and architectural conservators shared their findings on the structural integrity and chemical nature of the concrete and shotcrete wall and its metal tiebacks.

Slurry Wall detail

They also proposed future steps for ongoing monitoring and treatment of the wall. We look forward to continuing the extraordinary, collaborative work achieved in our understanding of the Slurry Wall and to applying these findings to the improved stabilizing and safeguarding of this unique artifact, which is so integral to the visitor experience and the meaning of Foundation Hall. 

Schools, Teachers, Youth

Staff conducts virtual tour in the Museum

In our third year of operating virtual programming, more than 3,500 students participated in our virtual school programs, representing nearly 30 states and 3 countries. Our education team offered free virtual tours of the Museum to 2,500 local New York City students the week following the anniversary of 9/11. This program was supported, in part, by funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

New York City Department of Cultural Affairs logo

One thousand educators participated in our professional development opportunities, educators discovered how to integrate the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s collection and inquiry-based teaching strategies into their classrooms.

Our education team presented at the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference in Philadelphia on a range of topics from how to teach difficult history in school to the women of 9/11.  

Museum staff posing at the NCSS conference in Philadelphia

In late March, several members of our Education and Community Affairs teams had the opportunity to visit John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens, to learn about its extraordinary agricultural program and unique connection to the Museum’s mission. Behind the school is a four-acre farm on which some of the Survivor Tree seedlings have thrived under its agriculture students’ diligent and expert care, with the support of Bartlett Tree Company. Agricultural students still check on the seedlings daily, ensuring they have enough water and sunlight to mature. These seedlings will eventually be given to communities around the world that experienced tragedy, carrying with them that same resiliency and strength, and demonstrating how students today play an active role in the Museum’s mission of remembrance. Read more about the meaningful program in our blog post: Earth Day: Survivor Tree Seedlings Thrive at an NYC High School

As visitors from around the globe return to New York City, the beloved Art Cart returned to the 9/11 Memorial this summer. Launched in 2017, the Art Cart offers visitors with children free self-guided activities that shed light on the story of 9/11 and uncover unique design elements of the Memorial Plaza. These age-appropriate offerings also help families engage in discussions about the ongoing legacy of 9/11 and the importance of memorialization. 

This year, the Art Cart offered two different activities: 

The Meaningful Adjacencies activity reveals the story behind the names that are inscribed around the perimeter of the Memorial pools. Visitors can then create a tissue paper flower to place as a tribute. 

The Survivor Tree activity helps visitors understand the story of the iconic Callery pear tree that survived the attacks on 9/11 and currently stands on the plaza. After discovering the symbolism behind the tree, participants can decorate a colored leaf with messages of hope and resilience, and either leave it at the Survivor Tree or take it home to commemorate their visit. 

With health and safety top-of-mind, all activities were accessible in a contactless format using QR codes and pre-packaged activity materials. 

The 9/11 Memorial Art Cart is made possible in partnership with the New York Life Foundation

Education staff at the Art Cart on the plaza

 

Public & Professional Programs

Summit on Security panelists on stage in the auditorium

Hillary Clinton in the auditorium

The Museum hosted thought leaders, experts, authors, artists, and performers in dynamic public programs to help further conversations about the history of 9/11 and its continued impact. This year, the Museum hosted notable guests such as former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Former FDNY Fire Commissioners Thomas Von Essen, Salvatore Cassano and Daniel Nigro; United States Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood Randall; and Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson
 

Infographic

Through the fourth annual 9/11 Memorial & Museum Summit on Security, presented by Fiserv, public programs in 2021 were made possible by Bloomberg, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, IronNet, Marsh McLennan, Trustee Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Greater New York Hospital Association, Montefiore Medicine, and Morgan Stanley. 

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers a robust slate of tailored programming for law enforcement, intelligence, military, and first response agencies. Our programs speak directly to the histories and missions of these organizations, many of which were established in response to, or reshaped as a direct result of, the 9/11 attacks. 

The Professional Programs team also continued its leadership training programs for various agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, DHS, the FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center and expanded its offerings to include programs for private sector clients.  

Participant Responses

“The 9-11 Memorial and Museum program was captivating. I was unable to stop watching. I enjoyed the history and the intimacy. It was very human yet honored the scars not to be forgotten. On a personal note, it was contributory to another layer of healing that I was probably unaware that I ‘needed,’ so bravo to the wise professionals that wove this program together.”  

“I cannot express how blown away my colleagues were by the presentations and the Memorial/Museum. You all were so accommodating, and it was so evident the passion you all have in your mission, and I thank you for that. The goal is to keep the memories alive and yesterday accomplished just that.”  

 “On a personal note, it was the highlight of the week for me and (hands-down) the very best museum program I have ever experienced. The information you shared—and most importantly how you shared it—left an impression that will not leave me. After more than 20 years, it was a very profound reminder of many things: what we lost and what we gained on that day, what a real hero does in the face of crisis, and how to graciously honor, demonstrate deep respect, and delicately discuss the nuances held within every legacy. I left awe-struck, a favorite and rare feeling these days, and wanted to thank you for the experience.” 

Infographic

Through the fourth annual 9/11 Memorial & Museum Summit on Security, presented by Fiserv, professional programs in 2022 were made possible by Bloomberg, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, IronNet, Marsh McLennan, Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Greater New York Hospital Association, Montefiore Medicine, and Morgan Stanley. 

Connecting With the Community

Ceremony on the plaza

Our community of supporters plays a crucial role in helping us fulfill our mission and bring skill sets that are as diverse as New York City itself. We've been fortunate to work with 1750 volunteers to date and 150 active volunteers in 2022.  

Each year, we host a diverse range of community groups and organizations, frequently welcoming first responder and dignitary ceremonies on the Memorial plaza. 

Sonia Agron

Sonia Agron was a rescue & recovery volunteer after 9/11, and her husband was a first responder that day. She has been a 9/11 Memorial Museum Docent volunteer for over 8 years, was featured in our Anniversary in the Schools program, and was part of the committee to build the Memorial Glade. She was honored for her volunteer work with the Daily Point of Light award from the Points of Light organization, founded by President George H.W. Bush to promote volunteerism nationally. The award is to celebrate the power of individuals to lead and lend support to causes they care about. You can read about her nomination and inspirational story here

George Mironis

George Mironis is a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and has been a visitor services volunteer for over 4 years and has worked for the organization since 2012. He was honored for his volunteer work with the Daily Point of Light award from the Points of Light organization, founded by President George H.W. Bush to promote volunteerism nationally. The award is to celebrate the power of individuals to lead and lend support to causes they care about. You can read about his nomination and inspirational story here

The Survivor Tree stands on the Memorial plaza as a living symbol of resilience, survival, and renewal. Each year, seedlings from the tree are given to different countries, communities, or organizations that have experienced terrorism, natural disasters, extreme violence, or a health crisis. Since September 2013, a total of 35 countries, communities, and organizations have accepted seedlings.  

2022 Seedling Recipients include: 

  • Ukraine, to honor the thousands of Ukrainian casualties resulting from the ongoing unprovoked war that began on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded the country. Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited the Memorial on September 22, 2022 and accepted the Survivor Tree seedling on behalf of their country’s resilience in the face of tremendous adversity (pictured above). 
  • The community of Buffalo, New York, where a gunman killed 10 people and wounded three in an act of domestic terrorism at Tops Supermarket. 
  • The community of Miami-Dade County, Florida, where a residential condominium collapsed on June 24, 2021, killing 98 people in the small, beachside town of Surfside.  
Alice M. Greenwald with Ukraine's First Lady

Museums for All logo

This year, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum proudly joined Museums for All, a signature access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits. The program allows those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum free of charge, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 850 museums across the country. Museums for All is part of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s broad commitment to seek, include, and welcome all audiences. 

Still shots from posts on TikTok account

In 2022, we launched the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Tik Tok account (@sept11memorial) with the goal of reaching a younger audience and furthering our mission to educate the next generations. With almost 80,000 followers and videos reaching two million views across the world, we plan to continue using this platform to showcase all aspects of the 9/11 Museum and Memorial and fulfill our mission to never forget. 

Last year, ahead of the milestone 20th anniversary of the attacks, our Visionary Network launched the Memorial Beautification Initiative, designed to foster community engagement by cleaning and restoring local 9/11 memorials across the country. Visionaries help preserve memorials in their own communities by planting flowers, cleaning the grounds, or simply stopping by to reflect and remember those lost. Read more about the launch here

Planting seedlings on Earth Day

This year, Visionary Alex Zablocki represented the organization on Earth Day by planting trees at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, PA. The tree planting initiative began in 2012 and has been an annual event for the past 10 years to reach their goal of planting 150,000 seedlings at the memorial. This year, Alex helped to plant the remaining 15,000 seedlings, completing the decade-long initiative. Read more about the story here

 

Alice M. Greenwald and Clifford Chanin at a panel in Norway

As Norway grappled with the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya on July 22, 2011, talks emerged of ways to memorialize the 77 victims killed that day. Seeking advice from others with similar experiences, those responsible for the memorial’s design reached out to Alice Greenwald, former President & CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Greenwald and Clifford Chanin, 9/11 Memorial & Museum Director, have advised on the project since 2014 and returned to Norway this spring to visit the memorial sites again. They attended workshops on the role memorials can play in preventing extremism and spoke on a panel with fellow historians of memorialization James E. Young and Edward Linenthal about learning from other memorial projects around the world (pictured above).   

Team poses with guests at the Museum

 

On June 15, we proudly welcomed Yurii Savchuk, director of The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War in Kyiv, and Maria Shust, director of the Ukrainian Museum in NYC, for a special tour of our Memorial & Museum. Savchuk – in just one month – created the exhibition "Crucified Ukraine," a powerful collection of images and artifacts documenting the ongoing war in his country. He was often the first to set foot at Russian bombing sites after the Ukrainian military cleared them of mines, taking photographs himself and gathering what relevant items he could for inclusion in the exhibit. Savchuk says he strives to cultivate an institution that tells the narrative of Ukrainian independence, the harsh reality of the current conflict, and the nation's aspirations for the future – all of which he's doing in real-time against an unimaginable backdrop.  

 

Team poses in front of a firehouse whose door is adorned with American flag painting

In November, we welcomed members of the German Sinti and Roma Cultural Center to the Memorial & Museum with the goal of sharing best practices for retelling difficult histories. In Heidelberg, the group presented the first exhibition dedicated to the Nazi genocide of the Sinti & Roma people. 

The Collection

Badly damaged fire truck

Over 600 new items were acquired in 2022, expanding the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s total collection to more than 74,000 items.

Infographic

Acquisition highlights below.

Battered black sandals covered in dust

Pair of open-toed, dusty black leather strapped women’s sandals worn by acting FDNY Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kerry Kelly on September 11, 2001 when she rushed downtown to provide medical assistance after the attacks. Dr. Kelly dedicated herself as a medical professional to tracking the health of firefighters exposed to World Trade Center contaminants on 9/11 and during the 9-month recovery operations – and to diagnosing and better understanding spiking cancers within this population now linked to such toxins. This includes monitoring her own health status. The establishment of the FDNY’s WTC Health Program, she observes, “began that day in the ashes, and the program continues as we pledged to never forget." 

 

Portrait of Josephine Harris

Life-sized Polaroid photograph taken by Joe McNally depicting Port Authority of New York and New Jersey bookkeeper and survivor Josephine Harris. Harris is wearing an FDNY baseball cap and holding a jacket with the Ladder 6 emblem and “Josephine | Our Guardian Angel” embroidered on the front. She has a big smile on her face. 

 

 

Portrait of John A. Jonas in uniform

Life-sized Polaroid photograph taken by Joe McNally depicting FDNY Ladder 6 Battalion Chief, John A. Jonas. Jonas is wearing his full bunker gear. He has his Battalion Chief fire helmet on his head and his Captain helmet tucked under his arm.

 

Battered welding gloves

A pair of leather welding gloves worn on September 11, 2001, by volunteer Bryan Pigott, who joined the nascent bucket brigade operations that same evening. 

Several hours after the attacks, Pigott standing in line outside St. Vincent’s Medical Center hoping to donate blood. His brother, a corporate lawyer who had earlier fled the chaos of lower Manhattan, accompanied him. Nearby, a call went out for volunteers with iron-working experience. Although neither had formal credentials, as boys, the brothers had helped around the studio of their father, a master welder. They stepped into the new “Metal Movers” line. By nightfall, they found themselves stationed at the southeast corner of the World Trade Center “pile,” prepping blowtorches. Soon, they were also assisting the more veteran ironworkers in tackling the heaviest pieces of steel debris in the vicinity by cutting winch-holes into them, thereby expediting their haul-away to hasten the search and rescue process. During the intense 12-hours he spent at Ground Zero, Bryan was grateful to have received these new, sturdy, heat-resistant gloves – tossed to him by a construction worker. For twenty years, he saved them as a token of the short yet unforgettable time he had spent assisting his stricken City in those darkest of hours. “They still smell like that evening, which is a bit emotional, and still shocking,” he wrote in the note accompanying the gloves. 

 

Diptych painting showing the original World Trade Center (top) and its planning

Diptych painting titled "The World Trade Center - 1963," by Marc Awodey created between 2001-2009. The painting consists of two panels oriented vertically. The first panel is an acrylic painting depicting the Twin Towers. Next to the Towers is a printed reproduction of an interview clipping. The interview was an exchange between William Awodey and Marc Awodey about the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11. William Awodey was one of the original architects of the Towers, and father of the artist, Marc. The second panel is an acrylic painting based off an original photograph depicting the design team at Minuro Yamasaki’s office studying the project model and other documents for the World Trade Center. 

"Missing" installation

Installation artwork titled "Missing" by Barbara Siegel. The installation consists of 80 individual electrophotography and solvent transfers on paper lined with cheesecloth and coated with wax. 69 transfers depict 9/11 missing posters and 12 depict an original poem composed by the artist's husband, Gary Schwartz, titled "Os Urubus" which translates to "The Vultures." When the piece is installed, the composition arrangement can be variously described as resembling an airplane or a bird in flight, such as a Phoenix. 

 

American Red Cross vest

Red Cross Disaster Relief uniform vest worn by Dr. James Halpern from New Paltz, NY who worked as an American Red Cross mental healthcare provider in the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks. A practicing psychologist, Halpern first became involved with the Red Cross following the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. Mere hours after the 9/11 attacks, Dr. Halpern was tapped as one of two Red Cross managers to oversee a newly established and centralized Missing Persons Hotline and coordinate 30 volunteer mental health professionals tasked with fielding incoming calls from victims’ friends, families, and co-workers. The hotline then relayed information about those reported missing people at the World Trade Center to area hospitals and, if needed, steered survivors and others impacted to crisis counseling services. Unique challenges faced hotline volunteers in these early days, including long working hours and highly emotional content shared by callers. Nevertheless, Dr. Halpern remembers his experience as enormously rewarding: his Red Cross vest emblemizes his personal and professional contributions to the surge of humanitarian efforts that would characterize “9/12.”  

Sacrifice & Survival

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum Registries are dynamic databases tracking rescue and recovery workers, witnesses, and survivors, and 9/11 memorials around the world in a living historical record. 

In 2022, we added nearly 300 Rescue & Recovery Worker profiles, bringing our total to more than 17,000.  

We also added nearly 50 Witness & Survivor profiles, with more than 1,500 to date, and nearly 10 Memorials profiles, with more than 1,250 to date. 

Financial & Legal Information

View financial and legal information including our Conflict of Interest policy; Whistleblower policy; 501c3 Letter; Application for Recognition of Exemption; and past annual reports. 

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