The 9/11 Memorial & Museum stands in the heart of Lower Manhattan, but approaching it feels different from the usual hustle of New York City. The noise fades as visitors draw near to the two large reflecting pools that occupy the footprints of the Twin Towers. Water flows steadily down the sides, disappearing into square voids at the center. 

Around the South Pool, people often stop to study the bronze panels where nearly three thousand names are engraved. Some touch specific sections, while others leave flowers or small tokens. Eric Gao (11) captured the impact well: “The 9/11 memorial externalizes the victims who passed away from that tragedy.” 

The museum deepens that experience. After descending below street level, visitors enter a quieter, darker space where the city sounds disappear. The exhibits follow a timeline of the events of September 11, using artifacts, recordings, and surviving structural pieces to tell the story. Sections of twisted steel, once part of the towers, stand like remnants of a skeleton. Everyday items recovered from the debris, such as a scuffed shoe, a damaged briefcase, and a firefighter’s radio, sit safely behind glass. 

Within the museum, there is a room called “In Memoriam,” which recognizes every victim from the 9/11 attacks. Its walls are covered in photos of everyone who was lost, as well as recorded accounts from their loved ones in honor of their memory. The room also transmits audios and projections of their names, ensuring that none of them are lost from memory.

Another essential part in telling the story of 9/11 in the museum was the exhibit on children’s art. After the attacks, many children nationwide were deeply affected, worrying about their safety and scared by the thought of losing loved ones. In order to cope with this anxiety, many children turned to art forms, such as drawings, paintings, and poems. The museum displays several of these works, reflecting how the attack not only affected those in New York, but also generations across the United States.

For many students who visit, these details leave a lasting emotional mark. Touring through the museum, Kaitlyn Wang (9) shares, “The 9/11 museum moved me to tears. I felt sadness for all the lives lost that day, yet I was perplexed [as to] why someone would do such a horrible thing to innocent people.” Indeed, the museum reflects the mix of sorrow, disbelief, and confusion that many people felt from the 9/11 attacks, whether those people were survivors or onlookers. 

For students, tourists, and locals, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum offers more than just a history lesson. It provides a space to understand the human cost of tragedy, and it invites everyone who passes through to honor, reflect, and carry its lessons forward. September 11th, 2001 will always be a dark smear on American history, and this memorial and museum continues to cement it into our memory. Never forget.