In a landmark initiative aimed at expanding access to 9/11 education, students across New Jersey will now be able to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum at no cost as part of school-sanctioned trips. The effort is the result of a collaboration between the State of New Jersey, the Wilf Family Foundations, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and is part of a broader public-private partnership that seeks to educate a new generation about the events and legacy of September 11, 2001.
The program offers free in-person and virtual field trips, as well as self-guided visits, to students in grades 3 through 12. The initiative is designed to engage students with age-appropriate lessons on the historical significance of 9/11, the lives lost, the acts of heroism that followed, and the enduring values of resilience, empathy, and civic duty.
New Jersey joins New York and Connecticut in providing free student access to the Museum. In those states, the effort is supported by additional partners including the Gary Sinise Foundation, the New York City Council, the New York State Legislature, and the RBC Foundation USA.
The Wilf Family Foundations are also underwriting the development of new educational materials to complement the experience of student groups who visit independently. These resources are part of the Museum’s broader goal to reach 20 million students by the 25th anniversary of the attacks in 2026.
Organizers hope the initiative will bridge the gap for students who were born after 9/11 and for whom the tragedy is merely a chapter in a history textbook. By bringing students into the Museum—physically or virtually—educators aim to preserve the memory of that day and impart vital lessons for navigating the complexities of today’s world.
For more information about these age-appropriate programs and to book a field trip, please visit the on-site, virtual, and self-guided field trip pages on their website.