The National September 11 Memorial in New York opened to the public Monday, offering the first up-close view of the gray, cavernous waterfalls that designer Michael Arad calls "voids."
The somber memorial features twin reflecting pools that sit within the footprints of the original twin towers. The pools are nearly an acre in size and feature the largest artificial waterfalls in North America. The names of victims of both the first World Trade Center attack in 1993 and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are inscribed in bronze panels placed around the edge of the pools.
Hundreds of swamp white oak trees dotting the surrounding plaza are intended to create a canopy that will dramatically change with the seasons.
