9/11 Memorial Museum Opens with Arad's Memorial Pits and Finch's Artwork

The 9/11 Memorial Museum opened in 2014 at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, New York, United States. Designed by architect Michael Arad, the memorial features two large cubic pits replicating the towers' foundations, with synthetic waterfalls. The subterranean museum is sited between the original foundations, incorporating the exposed slurry-retaining wall from the Hudson River. Spencer Finch's commissioned artwork, 'Trying to Remember the Color on That September Morning' (2014), consists of 2,983 watercolor attempts to capture the sky's blue hue on September 11, 2001. The central exhibition, 'September 11th, 2001,' displays artifacts like mutilated ID cards and singed cash, alongside photographs and audio of final voicemails. An 'In Memorium' gallery shows photographs of victims, with oak leaves for those without images. The museum's design includes a descending ramp allusion to Ground Zero cleanup, leading to the 'Foundation Hall.' The original World Trade Center towers were designed by Minoru Yamasaki, and the new PATH station by Santiago Calatrava. The museum's gift shop offers souvenirs featuring the twin towers' profile.