9/11 Memorial Museum Opens Exhibition Linking 25th Anniversary of Attacks to U.S. 250th Anniversary

The 9/11 Memorial Museum has opened the exhibition “Our Flag Was Still There” to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks alongside America’s 250th anniversary. The display features flags, artifacts and photographs from first responders, veterans and survivors, including the Ground Zero flag raised by FDNY firefighters, the flag draped over the Pentagon, a flag raised over the last column of the South Tower, and a flag carried during the mission that killed Usama bin Laden.

Elizabeth L. Hillman, president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, said the timing links the site directly to national history. “This year, America's 250th birthday coincides with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, which means that what's happening at our site is very much connected to the history of the country and to the recognition of this important milestone,” Hillman told Fox News Digital.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Hillman noted that 100 million Americans were born since or were too young to remember the attacks and stressed the need to convey how the nation recovered. On July 4 the museum will place an American flag at each victim’s name on the memorial.

In fall 2026 it will begin offering free admission to veterans. Hillman said the museum’s work now highlights how many people were inspired to serve in the military after the attacks. The Great American State Fair on the National Mall, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States, runs through July 10, 2026.