Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Visitor Center Years Behind Schedule

The Pentagon Memorial is now the sole 9/11 memorial location without a dedicated visitor center or museum, a facility planned for over a decade. Initially slated for a 2019 opening, the project faced numerous delays, leaving the four-acre site an empty lot. Unlike the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York (opened 2014) and the Flight 93 National Memorial visitor center in Pennsylvania (opened 2015), the Pentagon's educational center is still in development.

A renewed effort is underway, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for September 12. The Pentagon Memorial Fund, responsible for the outdoor memorial, aims to finally bring the $100 million visitor education center to fruition. While the project is described as "shovel ready," final approvals from agencies like the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts are still pending. The fund hopes to commence construction soon, targeting a 2029 opening for the center.

Support for the center is bipartisan, with advocates emphasizing the need to fully tell "America's Response" chapter of the 9/11 narrative for future generations. Delays have been attributed to site acquisition, relocation due to Arlington National Cemetery expansion, and funding challenges. The Pentagon Memorial Fund is seeking a mix of federal, state, and private funding to cover the estimated $100 million construction cost and subsequent annual operating expenses of $3.5 million to $4 million. The center plans to be admission-free.