9/11 Memorial Seeks Victims' Families' Input

While Ground Zero development continues to stagnate (more on that later), the National September 11 Memorial and Museum continues to move ahead. Yesterday, CityRoom revealed, along with renderings, "[Museum] officials are now asking the victims’ next of kin to confirm the accuracy of the names that are to be inscribed around the memorial pools. They are also asking family members to share stories and mementos from the victims’ lives to incorporate into a permanent display." One component will be audiovisual tributes, "If each audiovisual presentation lasted only three minutes, a visitor would have to set aside 149 hours (more than six full days) to see them all." Museum director Alice Greenwald said, "We have to address the scale of loss. Three thousand is a number that’s hard to fathom, so you have to personalize it." The Post adds that families can request how they want their relatives' names displayed—"Some families will want the names listed alongside co-workers, siblings or friends. Whenever possible, that request will be honored."

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By Jen Chung in News on June 11, 2009 12:14 PM

Comments [rss]

siccer

Yes, they should've just done what worked best, because this has gotten absurd.

What if families want names listed with those of coworkers/friends/etc. whose families don't want them listed that way? (Imagine the matchmaking here ...)

And the A/V tributes are a sop: Most won't be seen anyway, because the public is _not_ going to watch 149 hours of video.

etypical

Or... let's just hand them downtown Manhattan and call it a day, it's not like we're actually doing anything down there (Bloomberg thought a reporter was a disgrace - he must not see that giant gaping hole that's lived downtown for eight goddamn years!).

MT

Not for nothing, but whenever you get the 9/11 families involved in anything it turns into a disaster. They should have just done what they thought worked best and not gone the consensus route.