The 9/11 Memorial welcomes visitors and the city's residents to take a walk of remembrance through a commemorative self-guided tour of lower Manhattan.  A rich history exists in downtown and the 9/11 Memorial is providing a guide to easily find local landmarks associated with events of September 11, 2001. Tourists can also learn about the history and future of the 16-acre WTC site.

Called the 9/11 Commemorative Tour around the World Trade Center, the guide takes you to  points of interest like the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site at 20 Vesey St.

Not far from the Preview Site, take a walk over to the rebuilt 7 World Trade Center building,  250 Greenwich St. The original 7 WTC skyscraper was the last building to fall on 9/11 and the first to be rebuilt, opening in 2006.  In the park in front of 7 WTC, find the "Balloon Flower (Red)" sculpture by artist Jeff Koons. Nearby, check out the cross-shaped steel beam at Church Street between Vesey and Barclay streets. The so-called WTC Cross was found amid the rubble of the WTC site two days after 9/11. When recovered, it became a symbol of hope, faith and healing for many rescue and recovery workers searching for human remains.

Along the tour route, there is also St. Paul's Chapel and the Bell of Hope, both at 209 Broadway; the Trinity Root, Broadway and Wall Street; The Koenig's Sphere at Battery Place in Battery Park;  The Tribute WTC Visitor Center, 120 Liberty St., and more. This walking tour will provide a gateway to remembrance as well as show the rebirth of an important community.

The self-guided tours will be available for sale at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site in the coming weeks. More information soon.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

More than 300 young, civic-minded and forward-looking professionals came out in support of the the 9/11 Memorial Visionary Circle on April 26, 2010 at the Tribeca Film Festival. The event was the second for the Visionary Circle which has succeeded in raising over $175,000 for the 9/11 Memorial. The event included a special screening of the film "The Space Between" which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder and 9/11 Memorial Board Member, and Director Travis Fine whose film was inspired by the events of 9/11, welcomed the audience. Following the screening, attendees enjoyed a reception with  9/11 Board Member and Keating Crown who co-founded and chairs the Visionary Circle, 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels and special guest, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial.

A special thanks goes to the co-hosts of the Visionary Circle event for making the event such a success: Beth Amorosi, AT&T,  David Atkins, Mark Benhar- Benhar Office Interiors, Cathy Blaney, Nisha & Jamie Brodsky, Daniel Cendan, Caroline & Keating Crown, Naomi & Joseph Daniels, Richard Flood, John Gallagher, Steve Grant, Stuart Jankoff, John Jefferson, Anthoula Katsimatides, Katie & Drew Melchionni, Nicole & Joseph Naidrich, Suzanne Paxton, Paul J. Pollack, Patricia Quick, Kevin Rampe, David Ridley, Andrew Sachs, Erica & Todd Silverman, Amanda Taylor, Christine Taylor, and Donna & Isaac Zion.

Check out event photos here.

By the 9/11 Memorial staff

Donning a hard hat, blindingly bright safety vest and dark shades concealing his eyes, 9/11 Memorial Project manager Ron Vega scaled a section of the outside wall of the north pool of the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center construction site.

"Soon the plaza will come up to here," he said, making a chop motion at the height of his knees before adding, "And this is where the names will be located."

The current plaza of the memorial will be raised six feet, allowing future visitors to walk up and touch the bronze panels bearing names of the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 and 1993 terror attacks. The names are inscribed in such a way to allow light to shine through. The panels will rim the memorial, marking waterfalls that drop 30 feet into reflecting pools.

Over the past few months, progress has been steady on the memorial, which opens in the fall of next year. The two signature pools - both roughly an acre in size - are fully framed in steel. Much of the needed concrete has been poured and installation of the granite is underway. Hundreds of trees are being stored at a New Jersey nursery and will be planted at the site in the coming months.

Ron assess the progress and what work remains at the eight-acre site, which contains the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

"We are making leaps and bounds," he said.

In the coming months, more concrete will be added to the memorial plaza to raise it six feet, allowing future visitors to walk up to the edge of the pools and touch the bronze panels bearing the names of the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 and 1993 terror attacks.

The plaza will serve as a green roof for the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which is taking shape seven stories beneath the memorial. The trees will be planted on the plaza in a suspended paving system that will contain soil and provide the foundation for a watering system.

Ron finished up for the day and headed back to the 9/11 Memorial headquarters nearby, where more work waited for him.  He walked off the 16-acre site that for years has been known as ground zero. Now it's a site being transformed into a national memorial and unique park space in lower Manhattan for the city's residents and visitors expected from around the world.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

On a recent Saturday, the 9/11 Memorial Museum staff collaborated with the United Federation of Teachers, or UFT, in an open house event at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site, 20 Vesey St. We hosted a panel with New York City teachers, who have used our resources to create dynamic and inspiring 9/11 teaching tools for their classes. Additionally, we presented plans for the memorial museum and highlighted available educational resources.

Included in those resources are oral histories, our teaching guides, and our short films.

We also explored the artifacts on display at the Preview Site, including the damaged helmet of a firefighter, who survived 9/11, and a plastic replica of the Statue of Liberty covered with tributes. As a group, educators and staff discussed how objects can help students better understand the history of 9/11 and the individuals who were affected by it.  Helping students understand the events of history and recognize the impact of these events on today’s world is one of the most important aspects of teaching.

Because of the difficult recollections and powerful emotions often evoked by talking about 9/11, teaching about the attacks can be particularly hard. While it may be challenging, it doesn't deter the staff of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The institution is committed to collaborating with educators to develop educational programs and materials that provide accurate information about September 11, 2001 and the historical context of the attacks, as well as encourage students to consider what it means to live in this post-9/11 world.

If you have ideas, requests, comments or would like to offer feedback, please let us know at education@sept11mm.org. Also, feel free to leave related comments here on The MEMO blog.

By Katie Gora, Manager of Education and Partnerships for the 9/11 Memorial Museum

The 9/11 Memorial Preview Site is creating a buzz.

The Preview Site is featured in a video made for Citybuzz, a traveler's broadcast shown in nearly 200 hotels in New York and Chicago, convention centers and aboard commercial flights.

The video highlights places to see and the things to do in New York City, including the Preview Site. At the 28-minute mark of the video, listen to 9/11 Memorial Joe Daniels describe the space as a "preview of what will be in the memorial museum."

Citybuzz joins the Alliance for the Arts, which advocates for New York City’s cultural institutions, to take notice of what the  9/11 Memorial Preview Site has to offer.

The AFTA Journal, the alliance’s publication, said:

"Since opening in Lower Manhattan in late August 2009, half a million people have visited the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site, according to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Approximately 75 percent of visitors are believed to be international tourists. The site, located at 20 Vesey Street, contains information on the [National] September 11 Memorial & Museum, which is scheduled to open in September 2011."

The Preview Site, an attraction for all ages,  provides visitors with authentic artifacts, detailed architecture models, renderings and an on-site recording booth for collecting 9/11-related stories and remembrances.  Through a partnership with EarthCam, visitors can also view live footage at the WTC construction site through a webcam.

There are electronic kiosks allowing visitors to view this real-time construction, print the images or send them to friends and family.  Special programming  is also taking place at the site. It’s now home to the “9/11, Today and Tomorrow” speakers series.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

Despite the slumped economy, four leading accounting firms have donated a total of $4 million to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers each pledged $1 million to help build and sustain the 9/11 Memorial.

These four accounting industry leaders join more than 170,000 individual contributors from all 50 states and 35 countries. The memorial will open in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The museum is scheduled to open in 2012. Both are under construction at the World Trade Center site formerly known as ground zero.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who serves as 9/11 Memorial chairman, said: “These gifts are helping to generate the momentum we need to ensure that the Memorial opens next year. The firms have set a tremendous example of corporate citizenship even during a trying economic climate. With the tenth anniversary of the attacks coming up next year, now is the time when everyone should get involved in ensuring the memory of 9/11 is not forgotten.”

The 9/11 Memorial will honor and remember the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 attacks.

“When we open the Memorial on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we hope as many individuals, corporations, and industries as possible will be able to say they were a part of building the nation’s memorial to that terrible tragedy," 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels said. "We are enormously grateful to our Board Member Sam DiPiazza, Global CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers International, for working with his industry colleagues to make these gifts possible. ”

Continued fundraising is needed for programming in the 9/11 Memorial Museum and providing a financial base for long-term operational needs. Find out how you can support the memorial and museum.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

If you missed the discussion between a panel of legal and security experts on the pending 9/11 terror trials, view it on The MEMO blog in HD.

The video of this unique experience is brought to you by WNET.ORG's THIRTEEN Forum, which is providing this panel discussion and others on various topics for free online. The terror trial lecture will also be available for download through Apple’s iTunes.

The three-person panel was part of the 9/11, Today and Tomorrow speakers series hosted by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site, 20 Vesey St.  According to a news report by DNAinfo.com’s Julie Shapiro, the panel debated over whether the trial should be held in a civilian court in the Southern District of New York or a military tribunal. The cost of security and the impact it would have on the lives of the city’s residents were also covered, the report noted.

Don’t miss the next event in this enlightening speakers series. RSVP now for the May 19 lecture featuring counterterrorism expert Bill Braniff, who’ll detail the deadly inner-workings of al Qaeda. On June 23, Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times reporter David Rohde (pronounced Road) will headline a lecture on the Taliban. Rohde escaped the Taliban after being held captive from November 2008 to June 2009.

Due to limited space, it’s highly recommended that you RSVP online at national911memorial.org/events. A suggested donation of $10 per person will help support ongoing programming.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

The 9/11 Memorial is opening next year.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum could use your help with paving the way to remembrance and hope by sponsoring a cobblestone as a gift on Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Cobblestones will line the memorial plaza at the World Trade Center. Gift orders must be placed May 6 to receive a special cobblestone gift card in time for Mother's Day and by June 17 to receive a gift card in time for Father's Day.

The memorial plaza cobblestones will line the paths of the memorial plaza, a beautiful landscape that will surround the memorial pools. The memorial glade cobblestones will line the memorial glade, a beautiful clearing within a grove of trees that will be used for special ceremonies and gatherings.

Out of respect for the victims of the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 attacks, the cobblestones will not be inscribed with donor names. The names of the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 and 1993 attacks will rim the two acre-sized pools of the 9/11 Memorial.

Electronic kiosks will be located on the plaza so donors can locate sponsored cobblestone.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

A panel of legal and security experts expressed several interesting views on the pending 9/11 terror trials, including the location of the federal hearing and Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

The discussion on Wednesday was part of the 9/11, Today and Tomorrow speakers series hosted by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.  According to a news report by DNAinfo.com's Julie Shapiro, the panel debated over whether the trial should be held in a civilian court in the Southern District of New York or a military tribunal. The cost of security and the impact it would have on the lives of the city's residents were also covered, the report noted.

The three-person panel included Karen Greenberg, who is the executive director of NYU’s Center on Law and Security; Dennis Farrell, a nationally recognized security expert with more than three decades in law enforcement and New York State Supreme Court Judge Edward McCarty, an expert in military tribunals.

The discussion can be viewed in HD online for free May 5 thanks to WNET.ORG's THIRTEEN Forum. The event will also be available for download through Apple’s iTunes.

Don’t miss the next event in this enlightening speakers series. RSVP now for the May 19 lecture featuring a counterterrorism official who’ll detail the deadly inner-workings of al Qaeda. On June 23, Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times reporter David Rohde (pronounced Road) will headline a lecture on the Taliban. Rohde escaped the Taliban after being held captive from November 2008 to June 2009.

Due to limited space, it’s highly recommended that you RSVP online at national911memorial.org/rsvp. A suggested donation of $10 per person will help support ongoing programming. Again, this event and others in the series can be viewed at thirteen.org/forum.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial

This evening three experts will discuss the pending 9/11 terror trials at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site at 20 Vesey St. in lower Manhattan.

The event, which is fully booked, is part of the 9/11, Today and Tomorrow speakers series scheduled for 6:30 p.m. If you couldn't secure a seat to hear this discussion on the terror trials, 9/11 security concerns and Sept. 11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, log on to THIRTEEN Forum, where the event can be viewed in HD for free online May 5. The event will also be available for download through Apple’s iTunes.

Don't miss the next event in this enlightening series. RSVP now for other talks like the May 19 lecture featuring a counterterrorism official, who'll detail the deadly inner-workings of al Qaeda. On June 23, Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times reporter David Rohde (pronounced Road) will headline a lecture focusing on the Taliban. Rohde escaped the Taliban after being held captive from November 2008 to June 2009.

Tonight's three-person panel includes Karen Greenberg, who is the executive director of NYU’s Center on Law and Security; Dennis Farrell, a nationally recognized security expert with more than three decades in law enforcement and New York State Supreme Court Judge Edward McCarty, an expert in military tribunals.

Update: DNAinfo.com reported on the panel. Read the story here.

Due to limited space, it's highly recommended that you RSVP online at national911memorial.org/rsvp. So RSVP today. It  guarantees a seat for up to 15 minutes before programming begins. A suggested donation of $10 per person will help support ongoing programming. Again, this event and others in the series can be viewed at thirteen.org/forum.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communication Manager for the 9/11 Memorial