Dark Tourism
Managing the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Introduction to the 9/11 site
The Memorial
The 9/11 memorial and museum site often referred to as ground zero, is a 'construction of history', Herbert (1995). The memorial consists of a street-level plaza with two enormous man-made waterfalls each almost an acre in size. The two pools within the memorial are situated in the footprints of where the two world trace centre buildings once stood, often referred to as the twin towers. On the edge of the memorial pools are 2,983 names inscribed into metal to respect those who lost their lives at this very location, the pentagon & flight 93.
adapted from 911memorial (2017)
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When researching for the most up-to-date figures, the 2015 annual report, reported over 23 million visitors had visited the memorial since opening in September 2011. 911memorial (2015)
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The Museum
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The museum at the 9/11 site consists of 110,000 square feet of underground exhibition space which acts as a narrative to the events that unfolded on September 11th 2001. Furthermore, the museum offers monumental authentic artefacts and pays tribute to each and every individual who lost their life. Whilst allowing visitors to hear the stories of survivors and rescue workers. Sharpley & Stone (2009) describe museums as having a 'Pre-determined, functional purpose that does not change over time'. From this it can be suggested that some museums often suffer with identity problems. However, on this occasion, one believes that the 9/11 museum certainly does not due to the nature that this tragedy shook the world.
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When researching for the most up-to-date figures, the 2015 annual report, reported over 4 million visitors had visited the museum since opening in May 2014. 911memorial (2015)
''Life coming up on the ashes of death.''
9/11 Reborn movie (2017).
Mission
The Memorial & Museum aims to provide a place of reflection and remembrance. A dual mission of commemoration and education: to preserve this crucial history for future generations and to be the global focal point for telling the story of what happened on 9/11 and in 1993 through first person accounts, artifacts, and digital documentation. The number 2,983 is never an abstraction. 911memorial (2017).
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Merriam-Webster (2013) states that Commemoration is to do something out of the ordinary to remember an event from the past. Additionally, Stone (2010) states that 'Commemoration occurs through purpose built visitor attractions'. These statements indicate that the 9/11 memorial, at the original location of the twin towers, allows the horrific events of that day to be etched into people's memories and consciousness forever. Additionally, the location is a cognitive space where visitors may mediate death and dying as well as life and living (adapted from Sharpley & Stone, 2012).
