Honoring 9/11: New Education Center at the Pentagon

The commitment to ‘Never Forget’ 9/11 now leans heavily on educating over 100 million Americans who do not remember the event. To tackle this, the Pentagon will begin the construction of a Visitor Education Center this weekend. This site is significant, as it is the only one among the three attack sites without a dedicated museum or educational facility.

The center aims to bridge the gap that has widened over the years by educating those unfamiliar with the attacks. Joseph Kornhoff, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, highlighted that nearly a third of the U.S. population was either not born or too young to remember that day, missing the ‘personal connection’ that others have.

“We want visitors to feel a personal connection that helps them understand the gravity of that day,” Kornhoff explained.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York faces a similar challenge. The museum’s president, Beth Hillman, emphasized the increased importance of the vow to ‘Never Forget’ as the number of people with firsthand memories declines.

Noah Rauch, the museum’s senior vice president for education and public programs, noted the shift between memory and history during work with students and teachers. He remarked on the rise of false narratives online, stressing the need for factual education. Kornhoff pointed out conspiracy theories and misinformation about 9/11, underscoring the importance of the education center.

“We must ensure our education provides facts about the situation, not entertain conspiracies,” Kornhoff stated.

The Pentagon’s center will feature ten exhibits that tell the personal stories of the 184 victims at the Pentagon and those on American Airlines Flight 77, as well as first responders and military personnel who aided the wounded.

Efforts to strengthen 9/11 education have reached Congress. Representatives Elise Stefanik and Josh Gottheimer introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at reviewing how 9/11 is taught across schools. Kornhoff supports this initiative, viewing it as vital for educating those with no firsthand experience of the attacks.

The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Education Center, located near the Pentagon Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, is slated to open by the end of 2029. It has received $12 million in federal funding, $1 million from Virginia, and additional private donations. The center will feature interactive exhibits and accounts from survivors and victims’ families, providing comprehensive context about the event.