NEW YORK, NY.- The National September 11 Memorial & Museum announced the opening of a special installation focused on the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center as part of a month-long series of commemorative events recognizing the 25th anniversary of the deadly terror attack.
The installation features a roughly 3 1/2-foot by 5 1/2-foot model of the World Trade Center parking garage created by the FBI to demonstrate the scale of the bomb crater that measured 150-feet wide and plunged several stories deep. The model was also used in prosecuting the perpetrators.
The installation is on view from Feb. 1 through March 5.
The ramifications of the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center continue to reverberate today, 9/11 Memorial & Museum President Alice M. Greenwald said. Twenty-five years have passed since this devastating terror attack killed six innocent people and our city was forever changed. Eight years later, we again experienced the unimaginable when terror returned to the site during the September 11 attacks. Both attacks left their imprint on New York City and on our nation. We invite the public to join us during the month of February as we mark this historic milestone in remembrance of those killed, to honor the courage of those who responded, and in recognition of those who survived.
The annual 1993 bombing commemoration will be held on Feb. 26 on the 9/11 Memorial plaza, where victims families gather to read aloud the names of their loved ones. The victims of the bombing include John DiGiovanni, Robert Kirkpatrick, Stephen Knapp, William Macko, Wilfredo Mercado and Monica Rodriguez Smith, who was pregnant. More than 1,000 were injured in the bombing.
The month-long installation, Remembering the 1993 Bombing at the World Trade Center, tells the story of the bombing plot, its effects on the 16-acre site and the effort to bring the perpetrators to justice. Its opening marks the start of several weeks of special programming and commemoration offered in conjunction with the milestone anniversary of the bombing.
The installation also includes a farewell letter written by a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey employee who feared he wouldnt survive the bombing. Carl Selinger penned the letter while stuck in a North Tower elevator, writing to his wife and children, I love you very much ... Do wonderful things in your life.
Selinger was rescued hours later by NYPD Sgt. Timothy Farrell, who is now retired. For the first time since the rescue, the two will be reunited at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, where they will take part in a public program featuring 1993 bombing survivors on Feb. 12. Lolita Jackson, who is also participating in the program, was among the more than 50,000 people who survived the bombing. She also lived through the 2001 terror strikes.
As a survivor of both terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, I am heartened to see the 9/11 Memorial & Museums commitment to demonstrating the historical importance of these events, honoring the friends and colleagues we lost and proactively engaging with the 1993 and 9/11 survivor communities, Jackson said.
By sharing the history of the 1993 attack and its far-reaching repercussions as well as the stories of the family members of those killed and the thousands of survivors through our special programming, we will educate many who have no lived memory of the attack and ensure that this history will never be forgotten, said Clifford Chanin, 9/11 Memorial & Museum Executive Vice President and Deputy Director for Museum Programs.
A series of public programs surrounding the 1993 anniversary include an American Sign Language performance exploring stories of the attack through poetry, literature and songs on Feb. 9. Another program on Feb. 22 will feature former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White of the Southern District of New York. White, who oversaw the prosecution of the plotters, will talk about her role in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Public programs are free, but require a ticket. Reserve tickets and find more information about programs and events here.