As we mark 25 years since the promise to “Never Forget,” the focus now shifts to education for over 100 million Americans who have no personal memory of 9/11. This weekend, the Pentagon plans to break ground on a long-awaited Visitor Education Center, positioned as the only site among the three attack locations yet to feature a dedicated museum or educational facility.
The aim of this center is to bridge the growing knowledge gap as time passes. It seeks to help those who didn’t live through the attacks grasp not just the events of September 11, 2001, but also their ongoing significance. Joseph Kornhoff, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, remarked that nearly a third of the nation was either not born or lacks recollection of that day, missing the shared “personal connection” felt by others who witnessed the attacks unfold.
That connection, Kornhoff explains, is what the visitor education center hopes to provide, helping guests to comprehend the profound impact of that day.
At nearly 230 miles away, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York faces a similar generational challenge. Beth Hillman, the museum’s president and CEO, stressed that as fewer Americans have vivid memories of the day, the pledge to “Never Forget” becomes even more crucial. Many individuals from her generation can pinpoint where they were during the attacks, while 100 million people today were either not alive or too young to remember.
Noah Rauch, who oversees education and public programs at the museum, has observed this gradual shift while engaging with students and educators. He described a growing divide between those who experienced the events and those who are learning about them academically. This pivot from living memory to historical recollection brings new challenges, especially as individuals who are too young to remember are grappling with widespread conspiracy theories and misinformation surrounding 9/11.
Kornhoff highlighted the necessity of accurate education, particularly calling out misconceptions about the Pentagon attack and any narratives suggesting that America “deserved” it. He emphasized the need for the education center, urging a reevaluation of how the next generation learns about these events, focusing on facts rather than entertaining falsehoods.
The center at the Pentagon is set to feature ten exhibits that share the human stories behind the attack, including those of the 184 victims at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77, along with the first responders who rushed to assist. Kornhoff asserted that the center’s mission is to present the full narrative of that tragic day.
This renewed emphasis on teaching about 9/11 has also gained traction in Congress. Bipartisan legislation proposed by Reps. Elise Stefanik and Josh Gottheimer seeks to instruct the Department of Education to evaluate how 9/11 is presented in schools and identify any instructional gaps. Kornhoff expressed his support for this initiative, recognizing it as a step forward in addressing the educational needs of generations lacking a direct connection to the attacks.
Expected to open by the end of 2029, the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Education Center will be situated near the existing Pentagon memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. This project has already secured $12 million in federal funding, alongside $1 million from Virginia, plus additional private donations. The completed center is slated to feature interactive displays, historical artifacts, and personal accounts from survivors and victims’ families, offering essential context about the attack and its lasting effects.
