Amid a mix of sorrow and satisfaction, architects and organizers on Wednesday pulled the cover off the long-awaited 9/11 Museum, a living, breathing tribute to the thousands of lives lost in a terrorist attack.
Ahead of Thursday’s official dedication ceremony featuring family members, first responders and President Obama, planners detailed the arduous task of striking the most delicate of balances.
“There were a lot of people who didn’t think we were going to get this done,” said the 9/11 Museum’s chairman, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“This, more than any eulogy, was the greatest tribute we could pay. They have built a landmark that will stand the test of time. It has been a lot of work to be here. It was never easy, but it was essential.”
More than perhaps any museum before it, planners had to balance the documenting of history against the inherent sensitivity surrounding what for many is a final resting place.
In fact, families against the placement of remains at the museum will hold a candlelight vigil Wednesday evening to voice their opposition.
Architects have set aside a special reflection room for families only, but Bloomberg acknowledged that not all the families would be happy.
Among the treasured artifacts, large and small, are battered fire trucks, steel columns and a segment of the slurry wall that held back the Hudson River.
The items will blend with oral histories to tell the story of the dark day in 2001 when hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers.
“Not all museums sit on the site where history was made,” said museum director Alice Greenwald. “It is as much about 9/12 as it is about 9/11.”