Twenty-five years after the pledge to ‘Never Forget’ 9/11, education has become the cornerstone for over 100 million Americans with no memory of the attacks. To aid this educational effort, the Pentagon will soon begin construction on a new Visitor Education Center, the only site among the 9/11 attack locations currently lacking a dedicated museum or education facility.
The new center aims to bridge the growing gap between those who witnessed the attacks and those who did not. Joseph Kornhoff, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, emphasized the need to foster a personal connection with the events of September 11, 2001. He pointed out that nearly one-third of Americans were either not alive or too young to remember that day, lacking a ‘personal connection’ to the historical event.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York is also striving to address this generational divide. Beth Hillman, president and CEO, highlighted the importance of the annual vow to ‘Never Forget’ as memories of the day fade for many Americans. With 100 million current citizens either born after 9/11 or too young to recall the attacks, the museum aims to reinforce the historical significance through education.
Noah Rauch, senior vice president for education and public programs at the museum, described witnessing the shift from living memory to history in student and teacher interactions. As this shift occurs, ensuring accurate historical education becomes crucial amid rampant online conspiracy theories and misinformation regarding 9/11.
The Pentagon Education Center is designed to counter false narratives and provide documented facts about September 11. Kornhoff stressed the nation’s responsibility to combat misinformation and provide factual context to young generations learning about the attacks.
The new center will feature ten exhibits focusing on the human stories of the attack, including the 184 lives lost at the Pentagon and aboard American Airlines Flight 77, along with accounts from first responders and personnel who rendered aid.
Efforts to improve 9/11 education have reached the legislative level. Representatives Elise Stefanik and Josh Gottheimer have introduced bipartisan legislation that seeks to assess and enhance how 9/11 is taught in schools nationwide. Kornhoff commended the move as evidence of growing awareness of the need for comprehensive education of generations without firsthand experience.
Funded by $12 million in federal money, $1 million from Virginia, and private donations, the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Education Center is slated for completion by the end of 2029. It will offer interactive exhibits, historical artifacts, and narratives from survivors and victims’ families, enriching visitors with understanding of the attacks and their aftermath.