The Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, is set to open a new exhibit titled "Who They Were" that focuses on the everyday lives of the 40 passengers and crew members who died on September 11, 2001, when their plane was hijacked and crashed in a field near Shanksville. The exhibit aims to remember them not just as victims, but as individuals with families, jobs, and dreams.
According to the National Park Service, the exhibit will feature personal artifacts, photographs, and stories that highlight the humanity of those aboard. Items on display include a wedding ring, a pilot's uniform, and letters written to loved ones. The exhibit is part of ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of the Flight 93 heroes, who are credited with storming the cockpit and preventing the hijackers from reaching their intended target, likely the U.S. Capitol.
The memorial's superintendent, Stephen Clark, said in a statement that the exhibit "allows visitors to connect with the real people behind the heroism." The exhibit is scheduled to open on September 11, 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks. It will be housed in the visitor center complex, which includes a museum and a wall of names.
The Flight 93 National Memorial was established by federal law in 2002 and opened to the public in 2011. It is one of three national memorials dedicated to the events of 9/11, along with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City and the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
