Firefighter Who Lost Son in 9/11 Terror Attacks Established Memorial Museum, Closed Due to COVID-19

'9·11 Tribute Museum' Faces Operational Difficulties as Visitors Drop 83% Since COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The 9/11 Tribute Museum, established in Lower Manhattan, New York to remember the tragedy of the 9/11 terror attacks, is reportedly facing closure, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 16th (local time).

The Tribute Museum opened in 2006 and relied almost entirely on admission fees for its annual operating budget of $3.6 million. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, visitor numbers plummeted, and debts accumulated to the point where continuing operations became difficult.

Last year, the Tribute Museum located on Greenwich Street had only 26,000 visitors, an 83% drop compared to 150,000 visitors in 2019 before COVID-19. This decline was greater than the overall decrease in tourists to New York City during the same period. The number of tourists in New York City fell by about 50%, from 66.6 million in 2019 to 33 million last year.

The Tribute was founded by CEO Jennifer Adams-Webb and Chairman Lee Il-py, who bonded while working on the Ground Zero recovery efforts. Adams-Webb, a former investment banker, lost a close friend in the 9/11 attacks. Chairman Lee was a New York City firefighter who lost his son in the attacks; his son was also a firefighter. After three months of recovery work following the terror attacks, Chairman Lee was able to find his son's remains.

In 2011, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Tribute Museum recorded its highest attendance ever with 500,000 visitors. In 2017, to accommodate more student visitors, it moved to its current location, which is twice as large, but visitor numbers continued to decline thereafter.

A visitor at the Tribute Museum is looking at photos of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks. [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

There is another museum in Lower Manhattan dedicated to commemorating the 9/11 attacks. The National 9/11 Memorial Museum, located near the Tribute, is larger in scale. Its operational approach was also different. While the Memorial serves as a space to honor those who lost their lives in the attacks, the Tribute focused on helping survivors who remember the tragedy.

The Tribute had only 10 staff members, but over 300 volunteers supported its operations. These volunteers assisted with museum and surrounding area tours and shared their personal stories with visitors. To date, more than 5 million people have visited the Tribute Museum.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 40% of the Tribute Museum's visitors were foreign tourists. Considering that foreign tourists accounted for 20% of New York City's 66.6 million tourists in 2019, the Tribute had a relatively high proportion of international visitors. Consequently, global lockdown measures following COVID-19 dealt a severe blow to the museum's operations. The Tribute Museum did not receive any donations.

Chairman Lee, who shared his and his son's story with visitors, said the decision to close the museum was very difficult and that if it were not for COVID-19, the museum could have continued operating.

He said, "Through the Tribute, I wanted to convey the message that hatred does not move the world. Who could deliver that message better than me or the Tribute's volunteers? Now we are losing the Tribute, and that is regrettable."

The Journal noted that while the Tribute's somber exhibition themes might not have resonated with visitors during the difficult times of COVID-19, the exhibits were intended to share experiences that offer hope. Most of the Tribute's collection is expected to be transferred to the New York State Museum in Albany.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.