It may be hard to believe, but a quarter-century has passed since America changed forever. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Solemn events will be held at each of the three sites: Ground Zero in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Ground Zero

There will be a private ceremony at Memorial Plaza to remember those killed on Sept. 11, 2001, according to 911memorial.org.

As the names of those killed in the attacks are read by their family members, there will be seven moments of silence to mark when each of the World Trade Center towers was hit, the times they fell, the attack on the Pentagon, and the crash of Flight 93, and to remember those who have died from 9/11-related illnesses or injuries in the years after the attacks. The seventh moment of silence was added for this year’s event and will be the final one at the end of the ceremony, WABC reported in May.

More than 9,000 people have died from 9/11-related illnesses, according to the news station. Cancer cases connected to the aftermath of the attacks have grown from 3,200 in 2015 to nearly 53,000 in 2026.

“The 9/11 attacks caused devastation that extended far beyond that single day. In the aftermath, the heroism and spirit of our city and nation inspired the world - but over the years, tens of thousands of first responders, construction workers, volunteers, and survivors have become ill and tragically, many have died. As we mark the 25th anniversary, adding this moment of silence ensures that we never forget every life lost on that day and in the years since,” Michael Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and current Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, said at the time of the announcement.

The memorial’s organizers said it starts at 8:30 a.m., with the first moment of silence at 8:46 a.m

The event will be live-streamed, and the museum is closed for the day.

On the afternoon and evening of Sept. 10, the museum will be open only to survivors and family members from not only the 2001 attack, but also those impacted by the Feb. 26, 1993 attack on the World Trade Center as part of the 2026 Community Day event. People who were sickened or family members of those who died from 9/11-related illnesses or injuries, first responders who worked on the site in the days after the attack, members of the military or veterans, lower Manhattan residents, students and flight crew members are also invited.

The “Tribute in Light” art installation will once again brighten the night sky as two beams made by 88 7,000-watt xenon lightbulbs will give the ghostly impression of the Twin Towers. The light will reach up to four miles into the sky and can be seen from a 60-mile radius around Lower Manhattan. There will also be the “Tribute in Lights,” where buildings in New York City and beyond will be awash in blue light from dusk to dawn as “a unique but simple gesture of collective remembrance.”

A list of locations taking part can be found here.

Pentagon

The Pentagon will hold its 9/11 Observance Ceremony on Friday, which will be live-streamed across social media.

The U.S. Army’s live broadcast will begin at 9 a.m. ET. It will include the reading of the names of the 9/11 victims, according to CSPAN.

President Donald Trump will speak at the Pentagon on Friday.

The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial on Wednesday was designated as an Affiliated Area of the National Park System, WJLA reported. The designation came through a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park Service, the Department of Defense, and the Pentagon Memorial Fund. Through the agreement, the stories of the 184 people who were killed at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 will be preserved.

While the memorial is now officially affiliated with the National Park Service, the Defense Department will handle day-to-day operations.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania

The National Park Service will hold special remembrances for those who died when Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The annual September 11 Observance will be held on Friday at the park’s Memorial Plaza. It is free and open to the public.

A morning observance will include the reading of names, and the Bells of Remembrance will be rung in their honor.

A second event will be held in the afternoon and will include speakers and music, and will end with a wreath-laying at the Wall of Names.

The Wall of Names will then open to the public at 3 p.m.

On Saturday, the Luminaria Ceremony will be held at the Wall of Names, where 40 candle lanterns will be carried to the wall and placed at the base of each name. At the end of the ceremony, the Tower of Light will shine a beacon into the sky until midnight.

Chalk portraits of each passenger and crew member of Flight 93 are being created by 20 artists from around the country through Thursday and will last until Sept. 20 or “once the weather reclaims this temporary tribute,” officials said.

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