At left, photograph of a pin the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will sell from the AP; at right, rendering of the memorial site

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum isn't on track to open until 2011 (the memorial plaza, that is, if all goes well with construction; the museum won't open until a year later), but it's trying to make its presence know at Ground Zero with the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site. According to the AP, it's located in "an old camera shop northeast of the World Trade Center site," where "visitors will be able to watch live video of the construction, record their 9/11 memories and even leave with a souvenir."

The preview site will show plans and models for the memorial (and other proposed World Trade Center buildings), as well as "sell memorabilia, including 9/11 memorial pins, books and DVDs, to raise money for the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum." The group's president Joseph Daniels explained they wanted a presence in order to talk directly with curious onlookers, "Every single day, I'm walking by these guys who are selling the flip books to tourists. These tourists are asking questions about what's getting built. ... We see a tremendous interest in what's happening here."