OVERVIEW
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum sets out to preserve the story and honor the memories of the people affected by one of the most significant and tragic events in the history of the United States. To achieve that, the Museum had to document and present a complex story in a way that was compelling and engaging, but extremely sensitive. The organizers wanted to give visitors many alternative ways to connect with the Museum so that they experience and understand in their own way. Planning the presentation of the story involved people directly involved in the events of 9/11 as well as professionals tasked with delivery. The aim was to determine the most appropriate form of presentation — an approach that could tell the story with eloquence and emotional power. It had to convey the true scale of events while providing detailed context and the emotional testimony of survivors, witnesses and families affected by 9/11.
While most museums aim to recreate events from the distant past, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum tells the story of an event that is very close to the present, one that was experienced directly by New Yorkers or seen on television by millions around the world. That makes audiovisual a relevant medium for communicating and sharing the story. As the organizers point out, the twenty-first century is an audiovisual age and the events of 9/11 were recorded on thousands of cameras. This gave many people the opportunity to share their personal memories by contributing images or stories to the museum.
The audiovisual content is presented in small theaters and in 90 multimedia and interactive exhibits throughout the museum. There are also booths where visitors can record their own recollections to add to the collection and educational areas that include digital whiteboards and videoconferencing equipment to support the programs.
