The MEMO Blog

The official blog of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum features stories of commemoration and memorialization, and information on our public programs, special events, and ways to get involved.

Dozens of square tiles that are varying shades of blue are seen up close in Memorial Hall.
Photo by Dan Winters

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COVID-19 Update: 9/11 Memorial & Museum to Close Temporarily Starting March 13

March 12, 2020

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum will be temporarily closed starting March 13 as part of the New York City and New York State mandates to combat and contain the COVID-19 virus.

Danny Meyer Reflects on 9/11, Restaurants as Sites of Community and Connection in Public Program

March 9, 2020

Last week, celebrated New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer participated in a public program at the 9/11 Memorial Museum as part of the “New York Stories” program series.

John O’Neill’s FBI Jacket and Passport Embody His Enduring Fight Against Terrorism

March 5, 2020

John O’Neill was a leading figure in the FBI’s fight against terrorism at home and abroad in the years leading up to 9/11. He repeatedly sounded the alarm about the rising threat posed by organizations like al-Qaeda—and his life would ultimately be cut short in that group’s plot to attack the World Trade Center.

Danny Meyer Tells His 9/11 Story, Talks NYC Restaurant Culture in "New York Stories: Danny Meyer"

March 4, 2020

On Thursday, March 5, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will host a public program featuring celebrated restaurateur Danny Meyer, who will reflect upon the impact of the 9/11 attacks on New York City and the restorative role of restaurants as sites of community and connection.

More Than a Birthday

February 25, 2020

On September 11, 2001, Jon Leiken was in his law office in Times Square when he received a phone call from his wife, Erika, who was eight-and-a-half-months pregnant. At the time, Erika was working as an attorney with the Legal Aid Society just a few blocks from the World Trade Center. 

Wesley Wong, FBI On-Scene Commander, Shares 9/11 Story

February 25, 2020

Retired FBI agent Wesley Wong recalls noting what a beautiful morning it was on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. His workday began at an FBI garage facility just north of the World Trade Center, where he learned from a mechanic that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. 

Hope Helps Sonia Agron and Her Family Cope in the Aftermath of 9/11

February 25, 2020

I first met Sonia Agron in 2014 during training for the opening of the 9/11 Memorial Museum. We were both preparing to be part of the Museum’s Education team, she as a docent and I as an Interpretive Guide. 

Michael and Roselle: A Story of Teamwork and Trust on 9/11

February 25, 2020

Michael Hingson has been blind since birth due to a disease called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In his infancy, doctors suggested his parents send him to a home for the blind, where they could take better care of him.

One Passenger’s Powerful Message to His Wife on 9/11

February 25, 2020

When Julie Sweeney Roth first saw Brian Sweeney, she told a  friend “that’s the kind of guy [she] would marry.” Seven months later, she and Brian had their wedding on Cape Cod, a place Brian had always loved and where the couple would eventually live permanently.

1993 WTC Bombing As Told Through Artifacts

February 25, 2020

Twenty-seven years ago, terrorists detonated an explosive-filled van on the B2 level of the underground parking garage in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. While the terrorists’ mission to destroy the towers failed, six people were killed in the attack and hundreds were injured. We share this history from the events of the day to the investigation inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum through artifacts and firsthand accounts.