Press

The New York State Museum designed and produced a commemorative 9/11 timeline installed today on the World Trade Center (WTC) viewing wall, which depicts both the tragic and heroic events that occurred at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey installed the timeline on the World Trade Center viewing wall on Church Street near the temporary World Trade Center PATH Station. It presents in chronological order the events that occurred between 6:30 a.m. and 11:29 p.m. on September 11th. The timeline consists of three 12-foot-wide panels and is based on the “WTC, 9/11 First 24 Hours” timeline in the State Museum’s WTC exhibition gallery.

Developed with the assistance of family members who lost loved ones on 9/11, the timeline was designed by Mark Schaming, the State Museum’s director of exhibitions and produced by Museum exhibit staff. Schaming initiated the project, along with Nikki Stern and Tom Roger, directors of Families of September 11. The project was developed in cooperation with the Port Authority.

State Museum Director Dr. Clifford Siegfried said, “it is central to the mission of the Museum to preserve and disseminate the history of New York. Here at this historical site we are honored to do just that.”

“Since the World Trade Center was the Port Authority’s home for more than 30 years, we believe it must remain an important part of our nation’s history,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. “The timeline and the tribute center are two key initiatives we strongly support as lasting tributes to our 84 employees who paid the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11.”

"The timeline we have created is the clearest delineation yet of the events of the day,” said Stern, executive director of Families of September 11 who lost her husband in the Towers on 9/11. "This is an incredibly powerful and meaningful way for visitors to understand what happened within the context of what began as an 'ordinary' day."

“The power of the site is very compelling and our hope is that the timeline keeps these stories alive,” said Schaming. “This place was touched by history. It is so critical that visitors to the site continue to know more about what happened here that day.”

The timeline, which cost $18,000 to produce, consists of 13 photographs and three illustrations, including one orienting visitors on where they are in relation to the entire site. All but one of the photos was taken on September 11, 2001.

Three of the photos depict police and firefighter heroes from September 11th - Port Authority Police Officer Christopher Amoroso, New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer Moira Smith and Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Firefighter Michael Kehoe. Officers Amoroso and Smith died in the collapse of the Twin Towers, and firefighter Kehoe escaped.

The timeline also depicts several objects from the collections of the State Museum recovered from the site, including a PATH patch, evacuation plan sign, elevator plaque from the 78th floor and NYC primary campaign posters.

Of the photographs on the timeline, several important images were provided courtesy of the New York Daily News, as well as two from photographer Camilo JoseVergara, and one from Val McClatchey. The rest came from news sources.

In addition to the key people who developed the exhibition panels, the content, design and all images were approved by the Family Advisory Council of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, FDNY, NYPD and residents.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. Founded in 1836, the museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the U.S. The State Museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany.

It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

# # #