This airplane fuselage skin fragment is made of aluminum and is a silver color overall with yellow paint on the reverse side. This was a piece of one of the hijacked airplanes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Because most of the fuselage melted in the fires that brought down the towers, the only parts of the aircraft that could be recovered were pieces that were sheared off on impact. The yellow-green paint on the fragment indicates that the FBI didn't need that piece as evidence anymore and was therefore released to the Smithsonian.
Color photograph by professional photographer Joel Meyerowitz from Ground Zero- World Trade Center site, on October 26, 2001 depicting the still smoldering rubble of the buildings.
Description: This mass of fused coins was recovered from the debris of the World Trade Center.
Context: Fire from the jet fuel was an important element in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. While it is estimated that about half of the fuel carried by each airliner was burned off in the initial fireball, the remainder spread throughout many floors of the building, setting off massive fires. The contents of the building—desks, papers, carpets, ceiling tiles, and even paint—fueled the fire, and with estimated temperatures of about 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, even metal coins were fused together. After the collapse, the fires continued to burn for weeks.
This commercially produced desk ornament of a baseball mounted on an engraved base was recovered from the damaged offices of the Pentagon. Reflecting a popular American attitude, the desk ornament is inscribed: Sometimes you just have to play hardball.
Color photograph of the World Trade Center by Ronald Pordy. Taken in late July 2001, just a few weeks prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the twin towers are shown looming over the lower Manhattan skyline.
Color photograph of the World Trade Center by Ronald Pordy. View of the Twin Towers looming over lower Manhattan skyline in late July 2001, a few weeks prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks.