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9/11 Tribute Museum closes due to financial hardship

The museum will continue to have an online presence, including an educational toolkit for preserving the memory of Sept. 11, 2001

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The 9/11 Tribute Museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of Sept. 11, 2001.

Photo/9/11 Tribute Museum

By Leila Merrill

NEW YORK — The 9/11 Tribute Museum closed its physical location Wednesday, less than a month before the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Financial hardship including lost revenue caused by the pandemic prevents us from generating sufficient funding to continue to operate the physical museum,” Jennifer Adams, co-founder and CEO of the museum, said in a news release.

The museum, which is separate from the nearby National September 11 Memorial Museum, was founded by FDNY widows as part of the nonprofit September 11th Families’ Association, NBC New York reported. The museum offered tours led by volunteers who had connections to Sept. 11, 2001, like having lost a loved one in the attacks.

Much of the museum’s collection will be relocated to the New York State Museum in Albany. The September 11th Families’ Association is coordinating with its donors to make sure that the artifacts are handled property.

Adams said the museum welcomed more than 5 million in-person visitors since it opened in 2006.

The museum will continue to have an online presence, including an educational toolkit.

“For over a decade, the Tribute Museum has shared educational resources for teachers and students online, reaching classrooms around the world with personal stories,” the news release said. “The association is proud to continue its mission with its focus now being on an online, interactive engagement with the 9/11 community.”