9/11 Pentagon Memorial Joins National Park System

The National Park Service has designated  the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial as an Affiliated Area of the National Park System.

That formally recognizes the site’s national significance and helps to preserve and share the stories of the 184 victims killed at the Pentagon and aboard American Airlines Flight 77 on Sept. 11, 2001.

The agreement creates a formal affiliation with the National Park Service, while leaving unchanged the memorial’s ownership and day-to-day management by the non-government Pentagon Memorial Fund, Inc.

The goal is to “work together to strengthen public understanding of the memorial, its national significance and the events it commemorates,”according to the press release we received from the NPS.

Congress authorized establishment of the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in 2001. Families of the victims raised funds to build a permanent memorial adjacent to the point of impact at the Pentagon.

It was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2008 to honor the 184 victims killed at the Pentagon and aboard Flight 77.

The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is owned and managed by the Pentagon and supported by the Pentagon Memorial Fund, Inc., a Virginia nonprofit organization that conducts educational and commemorative activities related to the memorial.

9/11 National Memorial Trail

The memorial is also a designated component of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail, which Congress established in 2021.

The trail connects the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City; the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia; and Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

“The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is a place of remembrance, reflection and learning, and this affiliation recognizes its enduring national significance,” said Jennifer T. Nersesian, Regional Director of the National Capital Region of the National Park Service.

“We are honored to work alongside our partners to preserve this important place, honor the 184 lives lost here and ensure future generations understand the events of September 11 and their lasting impact on our nation.”

The National Park Service has long helped preserve and share the history of September 11. Flight 93 National Memorial, a unit of the National Park System, commemorates the 40 passengers and crew members of United Airlines Flight 93.

The National Park Service also administers the 9/11 Memorial Act Grant Program, which supports the preservation, maintenance, security and interpretation of eligible Sept. 11 memorials.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Through stewardship of nationally significant places and partnerships with communities and organizations across the country, the National Park Service honors the victims, survivors, first responders, military personnel and others whose lives were forever changed by the attacks.

About the National Park Service

Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.