A Look Back at 2014

From the historic opening of the museum to welcoming one million visitors, including heads of state and foreign dignitaries, 2014 marks a monumental year for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. 

At the May 15 dedication ceremony, President Barack Obama declared the 9/11 Memorial Museum "a monument to the enduring memory of those lost 13 years ago in the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil—and to the spirit of the nation," according to Time Magazine.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum opened to the general public on May 21, giving people a "heart-wrenching look into one of America’s darkest days," the New York Post reported.Following the museum opening, Wired Magazine touched on the "sophisticated design and artfully deployed technologies," while The Wall Street Journal labeled it a "Masterpiece of a Museum." And later, the New York Times took a unique look at one of the most recognizable artifacts in the museum, the watch that belonged to 9/11 victim Todd Beamer. 

Days before the 13th anniversary of 9/11, a new exhibition on the victorious end to the hunt for Osama bin Laden opened displaying "artifacts of justice," according to CBS This Morning. 

The anniversary was a time for "looking back and looking ahead," The New York Times reported. For the first time on the anniversary of 9/11, the museum was open for 9/11 families and the memorial plaza was open in the evening to the general public. Newsday took a look at some of the moments.

The museum reached its 1 millionth visitor after being open for four months, according to NY1.  A five-day Salute to Service paid tribute to U.S. veterans, leading up to Veterans Day. The New York Post called it an uplifting salute to veterans.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made quite a stir in December with a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, turning a lot of heads according to the New York Times and NBC News.   

MSNBC details the #Tribute2983 campaign, where 9/11 Memorial staff and supporters honor the 2,983 victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 by performing acts of compassion, gratitude and service.

In a year-end look at "Reasons to love New York," New York Magazine looks at the museum through the eyes of a child born on September 10, 2001.

By Jordan Friedman, 9/11 Memorial Research and Digital Projects Associate