Museum vitae – pęknięcia i kontynuacje po katastrofie. 9/11 Memorial and Museum w Nowym Jorku

On 11 September 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City were destroyed in a terrorist attack. It was a disaster of immense political, social, cultural and economic consequences for the entire world. The WTC site, referred to as ‘Ground Zero’, needed to be restored, both physically and symbolically. The site’s redesign and rebuilding process took nearly 20 years and has now been completed. The article discusses the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City as museum vitae, describing it with two metaphors: cracking and continuing. The former refers to the WTC disaster cracking the human will to live and fight, and evoking reflection on the value system of the world attacked with such a brutal force. The latter, while allowing many possible interpretations, seems to hint at new ideas, information, contexts and understanding that may enrich our knowledge of the world. The entire site, with the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, tells the story of the disaster that happened here as well as of the culture, values, meanings and strength of human community. Unfolding like a story in a book, it reveals different senses while leaving room for individual interpretation.