The National September 11 Memorial & Museum opened its doors to the general public Wednesday for the first time, giving tourists and New Yorkers alike a heart-wrenching look into one of America’s darkest days.
“I think this is a great tribute,” said Kathy Yamato, 49, a Bank of America employee who worked in the towers but had a start time after the attacks. “I’m glad they finally got it done.”
She and colleagues from the bank broke down in tears as they watched a projected video of people leaping to their deaths from the upper floors of the building as the inferno raged beneath them.
“Just to see these images — I don’t know if it’s survivor’s guilt or what — it’s overwhelming,” she said.
The day began with a tearful ceremony that included about two dozen cops and firefighters marching to the entrance before unfurling a tattered American flag that had flown not far from the World Trade Center.
It was restored and toured around to all 50 states before returning to what will be its eternal home as part of the museum’s collection.
“It was a special moment for me, holding the flag,” said 9-year-old cancer survivor Tommy Minervini, of Waldwick, NJ, who participated in the flag ceremony before going inside.
“It’s a part of history, and it made me so happy to hold it.”
Many visitors found themselves overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the museum, which includes more than 10,000 artifacts, 23,000 still images and an archive of more than 500 hours of video.
About 7,000 free tickets had been given out in the months prior to the grand opening, giving each visitor about 2¹/₂ hours to tour the museum.
But for some, the grief conjured up by the artifacts was just too much.
Joseph McAuliffe, 64, had to leave after less than an hour because he was overwhelmed by the sight of crushed firetrucks and ambulances.
“It makes you very sad when you see that up close right in front of you,” the Jersey City resident said. “It was too much.”