This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Across the DC area, communities are gathering for tribute concerts, history exhibitions, reflections, and service projects to remember the fateful day and honor the people, families, and service members whose lives were impacted.
“Steel and Stone” exhibit
Learn about the recovery efforts of the US Army and US Army Corps of Engineers through artifacts and personal stories at museum exhibit “Steel & Stone: Engineering the Response to 9/11.” In addition to the exhibition, visitors can view memorial stones from the Pentagon at the museum’s Warriors’ Plaza, create white paper flowers to decorate a remembrance display, and take a collective reflection walk around Warriors’ Field (free).
September 11: 25 Years Later
The Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History are the national repositories for 9/11 collections. The collections span more than 600 artifacts ranging from thank you letters to first responders to Flight 93 plane parts. In remembrance of the 25th anniversary, museum-goers can see the artifacts and watch a film screening of 2011 documentary Stories in Fragments (free).
First Responders Showcase
All ages are invited to watch a live first responders demo at the National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation. Fire and rescue crews will demonstrate an educational rescue in response to a controlled collision between an automobile and a locomotive. Kids get to go on a safety-themed scavenger hunt before or after the fire prevention tips and first-aid demos, and everyone can attend the Color Guard presentation in honor of fallen first responders ($30 for adults, $27 for seniors, $17 for youth ages 2 to 12).
Come From Away
The heartwarming true story Come From Away returns to Ford’s Theatre after its debut on the historic stage ten years ago. The Tony Award-winning folk and rock music production goes behind-the-scenes of a small Canadian town that housed and cared for 6,579 airline passengers stranded there on 9/11 (Thurs through October 18, $20+, Penn Quarter).
A Beautiful Blue Morning Sky
Keegan Theatre premieres A Beautiful Blue Morning Sky. The chamber concert shares 9/11 narratives in chronological order through musical stories, vignettes, and personal accounts (donations welcome).
Packing Food
Commemorate the 25th anniversary by doing good. Volunteer to pack meals for local senior citizens in need or sort through donated goods to help prep food boxes at Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank (free to register).
National Day of Service and Remembrance
Have a day of service at Alexandria National Cemetery where volunteers can assist with beautifying cemetery grounds and clean headstones in honor of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks (Sat, free, Alexandria).
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
