Memorial Park

Background
Since the early hours following the attacks of September 11th, providing for the identification and safekeeping of the victims' remains has been the responsibility of the Medical Examiner's office.

Memorial Park, located on 30^th street adjacent to the Medical Examiner’s Office, is the temporary resting place for the victims of September 11th. It was built and is maintained by people from many callings and places. It is a place of peace where many have come to pay their respects, and a place of honor for all of those lost. It is a hallowed space where dignity reigns and a grieving nation honors its heroes. Most importantly, it is the place from which this nation returns to families the remains of their loved ones, with the deepest of sympathy, respect, honor and dignity.

Housed inside Memorial Park (a large white tent) are a series of refrigerated units holding the remains of all of those lost in the attacks. The remains are kept here until they are identified and returned to the family. The remains are cooled to preserve DNA and to slow decomposition. All of the remains are kept separate with their own unique identification number.

Inside Memorial Park

Memorial Park is maintained by the Medical Examiner's office and will be in place until the identification process is complete. You will not see any remains while at Memorial Park.

Visiting Memorial Park
Families and their invited guests can visit Memorial Park - it is not open to the general public. To schedule a visit, please call 212-447-7884 from 9 am to 9 pm seven days a week. Scheduled visits are available from 8:00 am - 9:00 am, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, and 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Up to 20 people may visit per hour. When scheduling an appointment, you will be asked to provide the names of all of those people who will accompany you.

Children
Children 12 and younger can visit Memorial Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

During Your Visit
When you arrive at the Medical Examiner’s Office please check in at the lobby. Please be mindful that Memorial Park remains a working facility, we also consider it a sacred place. Therefore, unscheduled visits are not available and scheduled visits must end on time.  If you are late for your appointment, you will be able to visit, but only until the scheduled end of that visit.

The first time you visit our facility, you will be asked to show a photo ID. At that time (if you choose) you will be issued a photo ID which you can use to visit Memorial Park in the future.  Any family member can obtain a photo ID.  All family members and guests must bring photo identification whenever they visit Memorial Park. The Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs has adopted this ID as the universal family ID for all future WTC events.

Staff members of Project Liberty will escort family members from our lobby to Memorial Park. Project Liberty is a FEMA funded disaster-recovery program created by the NY State Office of Mental Health to provide free crisis counseling and referrals to people affected by the WTC disaster. They can be reached at (800)-LIFENET or online at www.projectliberty.state.ny.us

You are welcome to bring photographs, flowers or other mementos, which can be left at Memorial Park.

Cameras and all other types of recording devices are not permitted in memorial park.

Getting to Memorial Park
Memorial Park is located at the Medical Examiner’s Office at 520 First Avenue (at 30^th Street) in Manhattan.

Subway: Take the six train to either 28th street or 33rd street and then proceed east to First Avenue and 30th street.

Driving: Take FDR drive to the 23rd street exit to First Avenue. At First Avenue, make a right and go to 30th street. Parking is available at NYU (29th and First) or at other nearby lots. There is metered parking on Second Avenue.

 
 

The Medical Examiner's office and Memorial Park are handicapped accessible.

 

If you have any questions, please call us at 212-447-7884, 9am-9pm 7 days a week.