Q: We were disappointed with the Flight 93 memorial during a recent visit to Pennsylvania. Why hasn’t the National Parks Service given a higher priority to completing a suitable memorial to the heroes who lost their lives?
—M.K. Griffith, Johns Creek
A: A $26 million visitors center and museum at the Flight 93 National Memorial opened Sept. 10, one day before the 14th anniversary of the attacks in Pennsylvania, New York City and at the Pentagon.
The visitors center is the centerpiece of architect Paul Murdoch’s plan for the Flight 93 National Memorial, which is in Shanksville, Pa.
Other planned additions include the planting of groves of red maple trees along a memorial walkway and the construction of the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot set of wind chimes, National Parks Service spokesman Mike Litterst told Q&A on the News.
Much of the new center “is devoted to the last 35 minutes of Flight 93,” The New York Times reported.
The museum features display cases filled with information about the tragedy. Outside, a black walkway retraces the path of the plane and a boulder marks the spot where it crashed.
Congress passed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act in September 2002, a little more than a year after 40 passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 died overtaking terrorists who hijacked their plane.
Individuals, companies and charities gave $40 million to supplement federal funding on the project, which took years to build because of funding and design delays, the Times reported.
More than 320,000 people visited the memorial last year.
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Allison Floyd contributed. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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