The 9/11 Memorial Museum marks the second anniversary of 9/11 and America 250
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As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, 9/11 Memorial and Museum President and CEO Elizabeth L. Hillman said this year's milestone coincides with the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, highlighting the nation's past and resilience.
“This year, America's 250th birthday coincides with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which means what's happening on our site is very much tied to the country's history and recognition of this momentous event,” Hillman told Fox News Digital.
“9/11 is an important part of our nation's history, but especially now as the nation turns 250.”
About 3,000 people died in this terrorist attack when hijacked planes attacked the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a stadium near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
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Two flags fly on the fence in front of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center at the Tear Drop 9/11 Memorial at sunset on June 13, 2026, in Bayonne, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Hillman said it is more important than ever for future generations to learn about the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to understand how they helped shape the nation and “where we are today.”
“Now, 25 years have passed since that day, so if we don't raise 9/11 in the eyes of the 100 million Americans who were born since or were too young to remember 9/11 when it happened, we will lose their opportunity to understand what happened that day and how the world came to be healed, how the nation came together, and how this city, the Pentagon, the Pentagon, and other sites worked after the Pentagon, Shanks, Shanks, Shanks, Pennsylvania means.
Hillman said the nation's recovery after 9/11 shows that even after a devastating tragedy, people can come together, heal and rebuild.
“I think everyone is hungry for evidence that we can survive difficult things,” he said. “There's nothing like 9/11 to help people realize, given the way the nation has recovered since then, that it's possible to persevere, to heal, to recover, or to face a truly incomprehensible loss, and that's what 9/11 has the opportunity to teach us.”
Reflecting on the museum's role, Hillman said the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, affected not only New York City but the entire country, calling the museum “a testament to the resilience of the city” and the “perseverance that allowed us to rebuild.”
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Colorful flowers are left by mourners at the 911 Memorial, giving tributes to those killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City. (Getty Images)
“At the heart of the rebuilt World Trade Center is a memorial to the people who were killed that day and a testament, in fact, to what we can do when we come together after that kind of tragedy,” he said.
This year, the museum opened “Our Flag Was Still There,” an exhibit featuring flags, artifacts and photographs that tell stories of resilience from first responders, veterans and Americans who lived through 9/11. The exhibit includes a Ground Zero flag raised by FDNY firefighters, a flag raised over the Pentagon by soldiers and firefighters, a flag raised over the last column of the South Tower, and one carried during the operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
“It shows how important the flag was to the healing and coming together that happened after 9/11,” Hillman said.
Hillman said remembering 9/11 is especially important in a time when “so many things seem to be dividing us.”
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Attendees hold American flag posters during the Great American State Fair Kickoff Celebration on the National Mall on June 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. The Great American State Fair continues until July 10 celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
“The opportunity to bring people together around a symbol like the flag and around a symbol like the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after 9/11, is a great opportunity, especially right now,” he said.
On July 4, Hillman said the museum will place an American flag in each victim's name at the memorial, “recognizing how important the flag was as a symbol of the country on its birthday, but also the recovery from 9/11 that happened and continues to happen now as we commemorate that day on this site.”
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Looking ahead, Hillman said the museum will also begin offering free admission to veterans whose “willingness to serve after 9/11” helped rebuild the World Trade Center and unite the nation.
“If there is a message that we feel we can raise now that we would not have done 25 years ago because we did not know what would happen after that, it is that many people are motivated to work for their country, to work in the army,” he said.
