May 15, 2014

The long awaited National September 11 Memorial Museum will open to the public on May 21 following a six-day dedication period for 9/11 families, survivors, first responders, workers and local city residents. For the dedication period the doors to the museum will be open for 24-hours a day from May 15 through May 20. On Thursday President Barack Obama and the first lady will attend the dedication ceremony for the opening of the museum. The exhibitions and displays seek to pay tribute to the 2,983 victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 bombing while also educating the public on the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

: Blessing memorial cards are seen in the historical exhibition section of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: The National September 11 Memorial Museum is viewed(L) next to One WTC (World Trade Center) during a media tour May 13, 2014 of the WTC site after a press conference and a symposium event to talk about the documentary “16 ACRES & BEYOND: Inside the Struggle to Rebuild Ground Zero” in New York. Discussion topics include the controversies behind the impending 9/11 Museum, the role of media coverage in the rebuilding process, the role of Port Authority, and the evolution of the surrounding neighborhood and its relationship to the site, in addition to the potential challenges, controversies, and battles that lie ahead. The National September 11 Memorial Museum will open to the general public on May 21. (Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images)

: Members of the media in the Historical Exhibition area during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A display of front pages of newspapers, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: The “Survivor Stairs”, remnants of a Vesey Street staircase where many people who worked at the World Trade Center towers during the September 11, 2001 attack escaped to the street, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Escalators going up to street level past a section of steel facade from the North Tower, floors 96 to 99, (L) seen during a press preview in the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: The historical exhibition section inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is seen during a press preview in New York May 14, 2014. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Surviving firefighter Dan Potter’s fire helmet, which he used at Ground Zero on September 11, is viewed during a tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The base of one of the salvaged tridents from the World Trade Center is seen at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a media preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: A model of the World Trade Center buildings, seen during a press preview in the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: People peer in at the World Trade Center “tridents” (R), two steel columns that formed part of the building’s structural support, seen in the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: An exhibit about the plane that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001 and a photograph of the plane crash (R), seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A decorated pillar from Ground Zero and the Slurry Wall are viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The bullhorn President George W. Bush used to speak to first responders and the public at Ground Zero on September 14 is viewed during a tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Artifacts from Ground Zero are are viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A recovery mask used by a burn victim from the attacks on September 11 is viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Port Authority workers tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A New York Fire Department ambulance, is seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: The destroyed Ladder 3 fire truck is viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Detail of objects found after the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A photograph of one of the World Trade Center towers collapsing after the September 11, 2001 attack, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Dust, ash and debris from the collapsed Twin Towers are viewed on the clothes from the store Chelsea Jeans in an exhibit at viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: An exhibit about the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Pieces of the plane of Flight 11 seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A photograph of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001 attacks (L) and a column and facade segment (R) seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: An exhibit of memorials seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Bicycles and a bike rack seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A worker under a photograph of the World Trade Center seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A photograph of the World Trade Center twin towers(R) are seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A One World Trade Center sign and exhibits seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A quote from Virgil seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Eyeglasses and a case found in the World Trade Center wreckage, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Helmets worn by New York City Fire Department Firefighter Christian Waugh on September 11, 2001,are seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: World Trade Center “tridents”, two steel columns that formed part of the building’s structural support, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Remains of a New York City Fire Department Ladder Company 3 truck seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Remains of a New York City Fire Department Ladder Company 3 truck just outside the Historical Exhibition area during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Audio and visual panels seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: The symbolic Last Column (R), a steel beam from one of the World Trade Center towers, stands near the Slurry Wall (L), which holds back the Hudson River waters, seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: Remains of a New York City Fire Department Ladder Company 3 truck is seen during a press preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site May 14, 2014 in New York. (Stan Honda/Getty Images)

: A decorated pillar from Ground Zero and the Slurry Wall are viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: People tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: People tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: People tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: People tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The destroyed Ladder 3 fire truck is viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A firefighters shirt used at Ground Zero on September 11 is viewed during a tour the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A salvaged section of steel facade from the North Tower from Ground Zero is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The salvaged tridents from the World Trade Center are viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Artifacts from Ground Zero, including an elevator motor from one of the buildings, is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Handmade missing posters of victims of September 11 are viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A wall with a quote from Virgil and featuring 2,983 panels for each victim is viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Artifacts from Ground Zero is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A salvaged section of steel facade from the North Tower from Ground Zero is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The destroyed Ladder 3 fire truck is viewed during a tour of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Artifacts and images from Ground Zero are viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A salvaged bicycle rack from Ground Zero is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: An American Flag recovered from the World Trade Center site is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A destroyed fire department ambulance from Ground Zero is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial Museum on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: Artifacts from Ground Zero, including the cross made out of steel from the buildings, is viewed during a preview of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: A member of the media take a photo in the historical exhibition section of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: A man stands in the historical exhibition section of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: A FBI most wanted poster of Osama Bin Laden from May of 1999 is seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Artifacts of the historical exhibition are seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Artifacts of the historical exhibition are seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Pictures of the September 11th hijackers are seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a news conference at the September 11 Memorial Museum before a press tour on May 14, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

: The antenna from the North Tower of the World Trade Center is seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York . (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: A FDNY fire truck from Ladder Co. 3 is seen inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: A video image of victim of the September 11th Attacks is seen next to the the Last Column of the World Trade Center inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

: Video images are displayed inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum during a press preview in New York May 14, 2014. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)