9/11 Tribute Center

The 9/11 Tribute Center, formerly known as the Tribute WTC Visitor Center, is a project of the September 11th Families’ Association located in the World Trade Center section of Manhattan, New York City, which brings together those who want to learn about the September 11 attacks of 2001 with those who experienced them. The 9/11 Tribute Center opened on September 6, 2006, across the street from the World Trade Center site and next to the Engine 10/Ladder 10 Firehouse of the New York City Fire Department. The 9/11 Tribute Center provides educational experiences for visitors and a central place for the local community and victims' families and friends to gather and share their personal experiences with the public. It was co-founded by Lee Ielpi, Board President; and by Jennifer Adams, Chief Executive Officer. Through walking tours, exhibitions, programs, and online resources, the 9/11 Tribute Center connects visitors with people who directly experienced the events of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001, and also with people who lost family or friends in these events. The Tribute Center is frequented by visitors from all over, and over 3 million visitors have been personally welcomed and introduced to a collection of stories that reveal diverse, personal perspectives.^[1]

It is located on the location of the former Liberty Deli, where meals and supplies were given to rescue workers in the attacks' aftermath. The Association renovated the space to create an educational center, and the 9/11 Tribute Center was created with photos, artifacts, and stories shared by the community. Artifacts were loaned by the downtown community and the New York State Museum.

Organization

The September 11th Families’ Association (also the September 11th Widows’ and Victims’ Families’ Association is a registered 501(c)3 non profit corporation) created by the families of the New York City Fire Department. The Association supports victims of terrorism through communication, representation, and peer support, with their stated mission being to unite the community, present evolving issues, and share resources for long-term recovery.^[2] The 9/11 Tribute Center, a project of the Association, is a museum of small galleries that serves as a place for Association members to share their stories with the public. Their mission is to:

...[invite] visitors to share personal stories of the 9/11 community — family members who lost loved ones, survivors, first responders and rescue workers, civilian volunteers, and community residents whose healing is a testament to the perseverance of the human spirit. We provide an understanding of the loss and impact of 9/11 while inspiring the power of resilience and recovery.^[3]

All revenues support educational programming and the operation of the 9/11 Tribute Center. Donations are tax-deductible. The 9/11 Tribute Center Tax Identification Number (EIN) is 06-1635444.

Description

The 9/11 Tribute Center has trained guides who have personal 9/11 experiences to tell their stories. The 9/11 Tribute Center is open to the public, and organizes 40 tours a week.

The Education Department also offers students grades 4-12 the opportunity to learn about September 11 by interacting with the personal stories of those who were there.

Exhibits

Galleries reveal the events and aftermath of 9/11 through thoughtfully composed films, objects, images and stories, sharing personal connections to the tragedy, the experience of survival and the power of rebuilding. Throughout the galleries, guides often share their 9/11 experiences with visitors. All galleries are Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant.

• Gallery One, World Trade Center Community Surrounded by the phenomenal view from the observation deck from the South Tower, visitors learn of the iconic twin towers through a film composed of first-hand stories and personal photos lovingly shared by the people that worked there.
• Gallery Two, The Attacks Multiple perspectives on the attacks, collapse, and the dust cloud are shared in stories and film as visitors interact with a “timeline” of artifacts, stories and images, from the February 26, 1993 bombing to the afternoon of September 11, 2001.
• Gallery Three, Recovery Panoramic images, artifacts and a video portray the heart-wrenching rescue and recovery period and the importance of volunteers needed to accomplish this job.
• Gallery Four, Those Lost A moving collection of portraits of victims of 9/11 and 1993 as shared by their families. The meaningful work of many 9/11 family foundations are featured, emphasizing how this tragic event is also an opportunity to improve our world. Images and objects donated by family members of approximately 2/3 of the victims of September 11 can be viewed on three of the walls in the gallery. A book is located within the gallery for family members to find their lost loved ones. The 9/11 Tribute Center continues to collect memorial objects from family members who wish to include their loved ones on the walls. All of the 2,983 victims of September 11, 2001 (2,977 victims) and February 26, 1993 (6 victims) are listed on the fourth wall, titled "In Memoriam"
• Hall of Healing Projects for peace, compassion and resiliency in response to the attacks include the work of 9/11 family foundations, tributes across the world and Sadako Sasaki’s powerful origami peace crane.
• Gallery Five, Changing Exhibits

As of 2014, 9/11 Tribute Center's collection includes over 400 oral histories, and is growing.

Other 9/11 memorials

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a partner of the 9/11 Tribute Center and serves as the primary memorial to the events September 11, 2001. Aside from the memorial constructed at Ground Zero, there are many other memorials built by various communities and municipalities throughout the United States. Many of these memorials are built around a remnant of steel from the destroyed towers. These remnants have been donated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey through a program that has distributed more than 1,000 pieces of World Trade Center steel.^[4]

See also

• Construction of the World Trade Center
• World Trade Center
• September 11 attacks
• National September 11 Memorial & Museum

References

External links

• Official website , 9/11 Tribute Center
• Official website , September 11 Families Association