The Small Things

From a tattered American flag to a bronze office key, a hunk of glass to an elevator sign for the 102nd floor, the most common objects can tell the most extraordinary stories. Opening today at 9 a.m. at the Aurora History Museum, 15051 East Alameda Parkway, September 11, 2001: The First 24 Hours is a traveling exhibit documenting the collapse of the World Trade Center through a variety of artifacts recovered from the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island.

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More About

• World Trade Center
• Matt Chasansky
• Staten Island
• War and Conflict
• Terrorism

According to curator of exhibits Matt Chasansky, "A lot of museums shy away from recent topics. However, we know this is a major time in our history, and we have a chance to really impact the way people view that history. [But] because this is such a recent event, we are not choosing a side. It's more like a document."

The exhibit is divided into three sections. Setting the tone is the 9/11 timeline once displayed at Ground Zero, along with text panels documenting the recovery effort. Next up are subtle artifacts ranging from a firefighter's Scott tank to aircraft fragments, chunks of building and WTC souvenirs. Finally, in a tribute to grief, human spirit and, ultimately, resilience, items left on the fence at Ground Zero are displayed, including pictures of people tagged with "missing since 9/11" and condolences written to the people of New York. Additionally, a podcast downloadable from the museum website tells the stories of a stockbroker, a retired firefighter and a transit authority worker on the tragic day. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.auroramuseum.org or call 303-739-6666.
July 3-Sept. 30, 2007