“Never Forget”: How American Museums and Military Installations Are Commemorating 9/11, 25 Years Later

July 4, 2026, marked the semiquincentennial of the United States of America, a milestone that many Americans have been long anticipating. This past summer has been full of excitement and fanfare across the country as the United States celebrates its 250th birthday. From local, community 4th of July celebrations to national celebrations like the Great American State Fair, there have been festivities across the country.

However, 2026 also marks another, more somber anniversary - 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an event that fundamentally changed our nation. Nearly 3,000 Americans and international citizens lost their lives in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania field. Millions more were never the same, whether they survived the attacks, put themselves at risk responding in the immediate aftermath, lost loved ones in the attack, or felt called to serve in the Global War on Terror as a result.

Though many Americans remember exactly where they were on that infamous morning, for more than 40% of the active-duty US Armed Forces who are under the age of 25, the events of September 11, 2001 are only historical events they learned about in school.

Preserving and commemorating September 11th and the subsequent Global War on Terror, which impacted so many American service members and their families, is more important now than ever, and American museums are answering the call.

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Keep reading to learn more about eight museums across the country that have special exhibits and events planned to commemorate the 25th anniversary. We’ll also explore some annual commemorative activities being conducted at US military installations this year.

Commemorative Special Exhibits

With the 25th anniversary upon us, organizations like the 9/11 Museum & Memorial, the National Museum of the United States Army, and many more have planned special exhibits and events that explore the U.S. service member’s experience of 9/11 in different ways.

9/11 Memorial and Museum: In Their Honor

The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum is the nation’s preeminent museum interpreting the events of September 11, 2001. Located at the World Trade Center in New York City, the museum has featured a variety of exhibits interpreting different aspects of 9/11 and its aftermath since it opened in 2014.

To commemorate 25 years since the tragedy of 9/11, the museum has announced a brand new exhibit, opening September 12, 2026, called In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service.

In a recent press release, the museum’s President and CEO Beth Hillman explained that this exhibit

“...recognizes individuals, organizations, and communities who chose to act in the face of unimaginable loss, reminding us that service can take many forms.”

One of those many forms of service that will be explored by the exhibit is post-9/11 military service. Take a sneak peek at some of the artifacts that will be displayed in the exhibit on the museum’s website.

Tickets to see the temporary exhibit on opening day are currently available for purchase, though there is no rush to get to New York immediately. Unlike some of the other temporary exhibits below, which will be open for a few months, this one will remain on view at the 9/11 Memorial until 2030.

National Museum of the U.S. Army: Steel and Stone

Fort Belvoir is home to the National Museum of the U.S. Army, which has been working to preserve the history of the U.S. Army for over 200 years. In their newest exhibit, Steel and Stone: Engineering the Response to 9/11, curators at the museum chose to explore the US Army’s response to 9/11, albeit in a different way than visitors might expect.

Rather than focusing on the long-term aftermath and the War on Terror, this exhibit explores the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the vital role the Army Corps of Engineers played in response and recovery efforts at Ground Zero and the Pentagon.

From August 28 to September 11, the museum will be displaying the massive 28-by-30-foot U.S. flag that was unfurled over the damaged side of the Pentagon the day after the terrorist attacks in its lobby, before moving it to its official home in the exhibit.

From September 11 to 13, 2026, the museum will host a variety of commemorative public programs, including the creation of a flower memorial and an honor walk.

This temporary exhibit will remain open until at least the end of 2026, and multiple additional educational programs are planned throughout the upcoming fall season to complement the exhibit.

National Museum of the Marine Corps: The Legacy of 9/11

The National Museum of the Marine Corps, in Triangle, VA, similarly preserves and interprets the history of the United States Marine Corps. It’s home to impressive permanent exhibits that explore the legacy of 9/11 and the Global War on Terror.

This year, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the museum worked with its longtime partner, the Marine Corps History Division, to launch a new publication, Legacy of 9/11. This book explores 9/11 from a broad thematic perspective, including studies on the immediate aftermath of the attack, long-term impacts on the Marine Corps, and reflections from Marines and Veterans explaining what 9/11 means to them.

The variety of articles, historical essays, and personal reflections in the publication have been written by both active-duty Marines and Veterans, like Medal of Honor recipient Sgt Dakota Meyer. The publication also features artifacts currently on display in the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Dr. Seth Givens, Chief Historian of the History Division, explained that this was the right time to publish this volume because 25 years later, historians have the benefit of perspective.

“In the years immediately after 9/11, there was less room for the Marine Corps to produce a history focused specifically on Marines and the attacks. Since no active-duty Marines died in the attacks, and the consequences were still unfolding, 9/11 was often treated primarily as the beginning of the story when telling the history of the wars that followed,” he explained.

“Now that 25 years have passed, we can ask a different set of questions and better understand the significance of that day for the Marine Corps as an institution and for the Marines who served in the years that followed.”

The publication’s official launch will take place at the museum on September 11, 2026. Free copies of the book will be available in person at the museum, where visitors can take a copy to support their learning in the exhibits.

Can’t make it to Virginia? Not to worry, a free digital version of the book is also available through the History Division’s website.

George W. Bush Presidential Center: Remembering 9/11

Perspective and reflection are likely at the core of the new series of paintings by former President George W. Bush, which are temporarily on display in the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, TX.

The 43rd President of the United States famously led Americans through the aftermath of 9/11 and the onset of the Global War on Terror. After leaving office, he picked up painting as a hobby, and since 2012, he has created multiple series of paintings, including one featuring post-9/11 Veterans (more on that below).

To mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, former President Bush has created a new series of 16 paintings, collectively called Remembering 9/11. These paintings will be on display at the Bush Presidential Center alongside the Center’s permanent 9/11 gallery until the end of September.

According to a representative of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, they depict a variety of scenes from September 11, 2001, including “scenes of first responders at Ground Zero; examples of our flag being raised amongst the debris; and more.”

The Bush Presidential Center also commemorated this anniversary with A Legacy of Service: America at the 25th Anniversary of 9/11, an event intended to “examine the enduring impact of the attacks and the spirit of service that continues to shape the nation in their aftermath.”

This event, which is part of the larger program series Engage at the Bush Center, was held on September 9 and featured conversations with former President George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, former Deputy National Security Advisor J.D. Crouch, and post-9/11 Veterans.

The event was livestreamed for those unable to secure tickets.

National Veterans Memorial & Museum: Portraits of Courage

Creating Remembering 9/11 was not the first time former President Bush was inspired to paint subjects related to the tragedy. In fact, his first major collection of paintings was a series of portraits of post-9/11 Veterans called Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors.

A George W. Bush Presidential Center representative explained that while the new paintings released this year reflect scenes of the day itself,

“Portraits of Courage honors the men and women who raised their hand in response to the attacks to defend freedom at home and abroad.”

The series, which depicts 98 Veterans across 66 portraits and four murals, was previously displayed at the Bush Center and has also been published in a book available for purchase from the Bush Center’s website, the proceeds of which have historically gone toward the Bush Institute’s programs and initiatives designed to support post-9/11 Veterans and their families.

Those who’d like to see the paintings in person, can do so from now until December 31 at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio. The exhibit will display the portraits themselves, as well as the work done by the Bush Institute’s Veteran and Military Families initiative.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum

For 125 years, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison has been preserving and interpreting the stories of Wisconsin’s Veterans. This year, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the museum has launched two complimentary exhibits honoring first responders and post-9/11 military service.

The first exhibit, Compassion Under Fire: Stories of Combat Medics, frames combat medics as the first responders of the US Armed Forces, connecting and comparing their service to that of first responders in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, according to museum representative the first responders of the US Armed Forces, connecting and comparing their service to that of first responders in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, according to museum representative Jennifer Stevenson.

Stevenson explained that drawing this connection helps bridge the gap between civilians and service members in understanding who combat medics are and what they do:

“Wanting to help and looking to the helpers for inspiration and comfort are human reactions to tragedy both in the civilian world and in the armed forces. We remember the people running toward the chaos on 9/11; combat medics do the same.”

This is a temporary exhibit that will be on display in the museum through the end of September 2026, and will then be available to borrow as a traveling exhibit.

The second new exhibit is a virtual exhibit called September 11, 2001: Our Veterans Remember. This exhibit, which is fully available to explore online, draws on the museum’s collection of oral history interviews, spotlighting 11 stories of service members from different branches and their post-9/11 military experiences.

Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum Grand Opening

The Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum is opening more than just a 9/11 exhibit on this year’s anniversary - they’re launching the entire museum with a 3-day Grand Opening Weekend from September 11-13. The Grand Opening will contribute to Minnesota’s America250 programming and will also feature commemorative programming for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

On Friday, September 11, visitors to the museum will be welcomed to listen to first-hand accounts of 9/11 from fellow Minnesotans, including the military personnel, first responders, and families who answered the call during the Global War on Terror.

Later in the evening on Friday, the museum will host a screening of the documentary film RESOLUTE: Minnesota Stories from the Post-9/11 Homefront, a continuation of a series of documentary films sharing the name RESOLUTE, which has previously featured Minnesotans’ stories of the Global War on Terror.

The Woodman Museum: Our Community, Our Memory

It’s not just national and large regional museums commemorating the 25th anniversary; small local museums are participating, too. One such local museum is the Woodman Museum in Dover, New Hampshire. Since 1916, the Woodman Museum has provided a space for the citizens of Dover to explore history, science, and art.

One of the Woodman’s newest special exhibits is called Our Community, Our Memories: Dover Remembers the Tragedy of September 11th. The exhibit will feature artifacts donated by Major John Fischer, USMC (ret.) of Dover, who served as a first responder after the 9/11 attack and also in the United States Marine Corps. It also features a piece of steelwork from World Trade Center #1 and a stone capstone from the Pentagon.

While this exhibit is smaller than many of the others, it is poised to be just as impactful for its community. Alongside the exhibit itself, the museum conducted an oral history project to explore local connections to 9/11, and both these oral histories and the artifacts will be incorporated into the town’s 9/11 Memorial for the anniversary.

9/11 Commemorations at US Military Installations

We’d be remiss not to point out that museums aren’t the only ones commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11 this year with a specific focus on connections to the US military - in fact, military installations all over the country have a variety of different events planned for the anniversary.

Some bases are holding remembrance ceremonies. For example, the General George Patton Museum at Fort Knox will be overseeing a Patriot Day Ceremony in remembrance of 9/11. Other similar ceremonies will be held at other bases like Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Many other bases are hosting athletics events in honor of the 25th anniversary. For example, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam will continue its annual Boot Memorial Hero & Remembrance Run, an 8k run along a route that has been meticulously lined with thousands of pairs of boots representing the fallen servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives in the Global War on Terror since 9/11.

We’ve pulled together a list of bases that typically host annual events commemorating 9/11 below. All those with confirmed events for 2026 are highlighted in green. For all others, we recommend reaching out to your command to verify if the annual event has been planned for this year.

“Never Forget”

For many Americans, when thinking about 9/11, the first phrase that comes to mind is “Never Forget.” Our country has made a commitment to remember the events of September 11, 2001, the lives lost that morning in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, and those lost in the war that followed.

This is far from an exhaustive list of every museum, memorial, or commemorative event working to honor and preserve this important moment in American history. However, those highlighted in this article make one thing clear: a quarter-century since that September morning, American museums, history organizations, and military installations across the country are working to ensure that we never forget.