The Pentagon Memorial Fund has broken ground on a new Visitor Education Center at the Pentagon, the only one of the three 9/11 attack sites without a dedicated museum or educational facility. The center is intended to bridge a generational gap, as a significant portion of the American population was not alive or does not remember the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Joseph Kornhoff, executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, stated that educating those with no personal connection to the events of 9/11 is crucial for understanding their gravity and lasting impact. "That's what we're trying to provide with the visitor education center experience," Kornhoff said in an interview with Fox News Digital, emphasizing the goal of fostering a personal connection for visitors.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York faces a similar challenge. Beth Hillman, president and CEO of the museum, noted the increasing importance of the "Never Forget" vow as firsthand memories fade. "Many in my generation remember exactly where we were on that horrific day," Hillman said. "Yet, 100 million Americans were not even born or are too young to remember that day for themselves today."
Noah Rauch, the museum’s senior vice president for education and public programs, observed the transition from personal memory to historical understanding among students. This shift also presents challenges in combating misinformation online, including conspiracy theories about the attacks.
Kornhoff highlighted the importance of factual education, particularly concerning conspiracy theories about the Pentagon attack and narratives suggesting the U.S. deserved the attacks. "That's the need for the education center," he said. "As a nation, we need to really take a step back, look at how we're educating our young children to make sure that we're providing them with the facts of the situation ... and not these conspiracy theories and entertaining wild ideas that just simply are not true."
The Pentagon center will feature 10 exhibits detailing the human stories of those affected by the attack, including the 184 people killed at the Pentagon and aboard American Airlines Flight 77, as well as first responders and military and civilian personnel who provided aid. Kornhoff confirmed that the exhibits will address "the facts of the day" and "the entire Pentagon story."
Legislative efforts are also underway to address 9/11 education. Representatives Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., introduced bipartisan legislation directing the Department of Education to assess how 9/11 is taught nationwide and identify instructional gaps. Kornhoff praised this initiative as a recognition of the need to educate younger generations.
The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Education Center is slated to open near the existing Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery by the end of 2029. The project has received $12 million in federal funding, $1 million from Virginia, and additional private donations. Upon completion, the center is expected to house interactive exhibits, historical artifacts, and firsthand accounts from survivors and victims' families, offering visitors comprehensive context about the attack and its aftermath.