Officials at the 9/11 Memorial announced Thursday the New York City site had passed a major milestone, having welcomed more than one million visitors since opening to the general public on Sept. 12.
“More visitors than ever before — 50.2 million — came to New York City in 2011,” said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “And this year, one million of them were able to add a visit to the 9/11 Memorial to their trip, commemorating the lives of those lost on that unforgettable day.”
Visitors must reserve free passes in advance to visit the site where two huge reflecting pools now occupy the footprints of the World Trade Center towers.
Surrounding the pools are bronze plaques with the carved names of the nearly 3,000 people who died that day.
Officials said that in testimony to the global impact of the attacks and their victims, passes have been reserved by people from all 50 US states and more than 120 countries.
The site officially opened to victims’ families last Sept. 11, the tenth anniversary of the attacks, and to the public the next day.