Thursday, Sept. 11, marks 24 years since the worst terrorist attacks in American history were carried out on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and four hijacked airliners on a day of infamy that no one alive to witness it will ever forget.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, built on the footprint of the fallen Twin Towers, in Lower Manhattan will once again play host to the annual memorial service that brings together loved ones to remember the nearly 3,000 people murdered on Sept. 11, 2001 in the coordinated attacks on America, including hundreds of first responders who died in their heroic efforts to save people at the doomed Twin Towers.
As per custom, the names of all 2,983 names inscribed on the memorial — including all 9/11 victims and the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center terrorist bombing — will be read aloud during Thursday’s ceremony, which will pause at specific moments to mark the tragic timeline of events.
The ceremony will start at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2025, followed 16 minutes later by a citywide moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the time when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 struck the north tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Houses of worship across the city are expected to toll their bells at that time.
After the moment of silence ends, the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 bombing will begin reading the names of all victims. The reading itself will continue until about 1 p.m. and will pause at five moments marking the tragic attack sequence:
- 9:03 a.m., when hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 struck the World Trade Center’s south tower;
- 9:37 a.m., when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon;
- 9:59 a.m., when the World Trade Center’s south tower collapsed;
- 10:03 a.m., when hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, PA; and
- 10:28 a.m., when the World Trade Center’s north tower collapsed.
Families of 9/11 victims will be able to access the Memorial Plaza as early as 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, and they can also access the museum as early as 8 a.m., with the last permitted entry at 7 p.m. The museum advises family members to make reservations in advance before visiting. Admission is free for family members.
Our program will commence at 8:30 a.m., and the first moment of silence will be observed at 8:46 a.m. Families can access the Memorial plaza beginning at 7:30 a.m., and the commemoration is expected to conclude at approximately 1 p.m. The invitation and/or letter you received in August, as well as P and T case numbers or Memorial Park identification cards, will serve as your family’s credentials for admittance to the ceremony.
Museum tickets can be reserved online at visit.911memorial.org.
Tribute in Light
As the sun sets on Sept. 11, 2025, the Tribute in Light will again return to the Manhattan skyline, memorializing the fallen Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.
Presented by Con Edison, the twin beams of light will be set up in Lower Manhattan and can be viewed from the 9/11 Memorial Plaza, which will remain open until midnight. The lights will be made visible at sunset on Sept. 11, which will be at 7:11 p.m. that night. The Tribute in Light will remain illuminated throughout the night until fading away at dawn on Sept. 12.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is partnering with the New York City Tourism + Conventions to extend the Tribute in Light to include rooftops and facades across the city that will be lit up in sky blue. Participants include One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, The Oculus, the Bank of America Tower, the JFK Air Traffic Control Tower, and bridges around the region.
For more information about 9/11 commemorations, visit 911memorial.org.
