9/11 Museum Launches Exhibition for Younger Generations on 25th Anniversary of Attacks

<p>The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with a new exhibition titled In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11 Inspired Service. This exhibition explores the legacy of service that emerged from the events of that day and aims to preserve its history for future generations.</p><p>The exhibition highlights how the attacks inspired many Americans to engage in community and national service in the years following 2001. Elizabeth L. Hillman, President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, stated, "So many people who visit the museum or who are interested in learning about 9/11 are too young to remember themselves, and one of the stories that they don't necessarily realize when they start to encounter the history of 9/11 is how much it changed the arc of people's lives."</p><p>Artifacts, interactive displays, and personal accounts from individuals who transformed the tragedy into a commitment to service are featured in the exhibition. This includes contributions from military personnel, first responders, volunteers, educators, and families of victims.</p><p>The exhibition's signature artifact is the Feathers of the Phoenix, a 15-foot papier-mâché sculpture created by children who lost loved ones on 9/11 while attending America's Camp. Hillman noted, "The reason I think that's the best artifact to talk about the entire exhibition is that those young people have grown up, and the exhibition is about what they decided to do in the wake of that loss they suffered on 9/11."</p><p>Additionally, the museum provides a free digital learning experience featuring a 35-minute film that includes six personal stories. One story focuses on brothers James and Patrick Dowdell, whose firefighter father died responding to the September 11 attacks, which motivated James to join the Fire Department of New York and Patrick to enlist in the U.S. Army.</p><p>Hillman emphasized the importance of first-person storytelling in engaging younger audiences. The museum also adapts its educational resources for different age groups and recommends materials, such as Sesame Street's post-9/11 episodes, to assist families in discussing the attacks.</p><p>Hillman stated, "There are age-appropriate materials that change over time for what students are ready to understand." She highlighted the museum's role in preparing the next generation to carry forward the lessons learned from 9/11.</p><p>"We need to reach the people who are becoming teachers, who are becoming firefighters, police officers, members of the Armed Forces, and help them understand what it was to come together after 9/11 and develop a response to a catastrophe that we did not anticipate," she said.</p><p>The exhibition is set to open to the public on September 12.</p>