Arrival
The location of the memorial, which is less than 200 feet from the crash site, was selected by the families of the victims. It is a difficult site to access. It is Metro accessible, but the route from the station to the site is long and unpleasant. Visitors arriving by car must park at Pentagon City and walk through a dark pedestrian tunnel under 395 to reach the site.
Image: Dena Kennett
The Entrance to the Memorial
The moment when the paving gives way to the gravel surface marks the gateway. From that point, the memorial is organized by the age of the victims. The back border of the plaza is the “Age Wall.” It begins at 3 inches, signifying the age of the youngest victim, and grows to 71 inches, for the age of the oldest victim. It is easy to get drawn into the space created by the wall and the planting border, but the memorial is better understood if you walk past the wall and enter to the right.
Image: Dena Kennett
Individual Memorials
Rectangular reflecting pools of light glow from beneath 184 cantilevered benches, each inscribed with a name. The benches face opposite directions—those memorializing the victims of American Airlines Flight 77 face skyward along the plane’s path, while the benches for the victims inside the Pentagon face the southern facade of the building.
Image: Dena Kennett
Honoring the Victims
Each bench is engraved with the name of a victim. If more than one member of a family died during the attack, family names are listed in the reflecting pool under the bench, separate from the benches created for each individual.
Image: Dena Kennett
Age Lines
The memorial benches are located on the age line according to the year the victim was born. The age lines, denoted by stainless steel strips that cross the Memorial, begin at the zero line. The age lines are aligned with the plane’s flight path into the building. It is a bold design element that leads the eye toward the Pentagon’s facade where the line between the new facade and the old is noticeably distinct.
Image: Dena Kennett