9/11 Memorial
Next planned stop on our NYC trip was the 9/11 Memorial, opened on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. To learn more about the Memorial click here
Printed our free timed visitor passes (reserved through the Memorial’s online reservation system) before leaving home. Limited number of same-day passes are available on a daily first-come first-served basis but we did not want to take any chances.
Got on line about ½ hour before our specified time. The line moved fairly well. Security was very tight, told to keep our visitor pass in hand and had to show the pass at a few check points. Hand bags etc. went through security check just like at the airport.
The South Pool
Located at the site of the former World Trade Center, the 9/11 Memorial is an 8 acre memorial featuring two massive pools (each nearly 1 acre in size) with 30-foot waterfalls cascading down the 4 sides into the pool then descending into a center void. The 2 pools are set within the original footprints of the Twin Towers.
Another view of the pool and waterfall
A close up look at the waterfall
The names of the 2983 men, women, and children killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 are inscribed in bronze panels edging the twin Memorial pools. For a photo of the inscribed bronze panel click here.
9/11 Museum
Low white building at lower right of photo.
We could not visit the 9/11 Museum as it is not yet completed. Construction was halted last year, however a deal has been made and hopefully construction will resume soon. To learn more click here
The Museum will be the focal point for preserving the history of 9/11. It will provide a final resting place for the unidentified human remains and tell the stories of the nearly 3000 victims.
Callery Pear Tree aka “Survivor Tree”
Photo from 9/11 Memorial brochure
All but one of the trees on the Memorial are swamp white oaks. The exception is a Callery pear tree now known as the “Survivor Tree”. Planted in the 1970’s at the World Trade Center plaza, workers found it in the wreckage at Ground Zero, damaged and reduced to an 8-foot stump. Nursed back to health at a NYC park, it was uprooted by a March 2010 severe storm. But again it survived. December 2010, the tree was returned to the WTC site (standing west of the south pool) a symbol of survival and resilience.
Again, all the photos, except the “Survivor Tree” photo, were taken by my daughter, Miss K., she has a good eye for photo composition.
Copyright © by Norma Chang
Garden to Wok 
The memorial is beautiful, a fitting monument to all those who suffered during the terrible time.
Thank you for sharing such lovely photos again 🙂
Cheers
CCU
Hello CCU,
You are welcome. It was quite a sight.
What a beautiful memorial. I’m hoping to visit once the museum is completed.
Hello YC,
I will return when the museum is completed.
Love your daughter’s photography. It must have been a very moving experience. I haven’t seen the area since it was finished, just on tv and photos.
Hello Maureen,
I will let my daughter know. It brought back many sad memories.
Norma. . . . .I’ve put this on my “bucket list” after reading your blog and seeing your photos.Many thanks! Jo
Hello Jo,
There is more to come, your “bucket list” is going to get very long.
Thank you, Norma, for taking us along. I’ve not been to NYC since that fateful day and appreciate this tour. Your daughter’s photos were very well shot and are quite moving.
Hello John,
You are welcome. I will pass your comment on to my daughter. She does have a keen eye for photo composition.
Never forget. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Foodie,
You are welcome.
What a moving memorial. I was not aware of what the memorial consisted of. Loved the water cascading into a void. That spoke volumes to me. Amazing story of the survivor pear tree too. Thanks for this post.
Hello Lou,
You are welcome. The memorial brought back many sad memories. I do know of a few people that perished on that fateful day.
That is quite a tree.
Hello KC,
Yes, quite a tree.
This must have been very moving and even more difficult I imagine…
Hello Sissi,
It was not easy but one has to deal with situations and move on.
I remember going there with Mr Bao too he said it was quite sad for him because he actually went there just before the 9/11 attack 😦
Hello Daisy,
Returning to the site is very sad indeed.
Beautiful pictures Norma. I need to get back to NYC. This is certainly on my list of places to visit.
Hello Kristy,
I will be posting about the High Line later, another must see when you return to NYC.
Norma,
Great job. The photos and comments were well done.
Hello Joyce,
Thanks.
We didn’t get a chance to see the memorial and I regret it very much; but then again, I need another excuse to head back to the big apple. I’ve seen photos of the fountain but my girlfriend tells me that the actual experience is quite calming and thought provoking. The photos are beautiful; it looks like you had a wonderful time with your daughter, it makes me wish my Mom was still around.
Hello Eva,
Actually being there on the memorial ground and seeing the pools is a different experience, yes the waterfalls do have a calming and healing effect.
Had a wonderful time with my daughter and son-in-law. Told them about the NYSE and how exciting it is to watch the actitivies from the balcony, got there and was told we can no longer visit because of 9/11.
Thanks for sharing your moving post with us! Hugs to you!
Hello Sophie,
You are welcome and thanks for the hugs.
Thanks for posting about this, the photos help me to visualize how it’s changed, it was a gaping void surrounded by piles of rubble the last time I visited the site…
Hello Leduesorelle,
Hope you have the opportunity to visit the site again, perhaps after the museum is completed would be a better time.