In a modern art masterpiece, 184 abstract waves of steel scattered among brilliant Paperbark Maples set in porous stabilized gravel create a clean, moving memorial to the men and women who died at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks a decade ago.  The sweeping benches are lit at night and are each engraved with the name and birth year of an individual who gave their life in the attack. The memorials are placed along the trajectory of Flight 77 and organized by the age of the person, stretching from 1998 to 1930, recognized in the Memorial Unit.  Each bench reflects not only the individual, but whether they were in the plane or in the Pentagon when the plane hit.  The end of the sweeping bench hovers above its own reflection pond that is lit at night to illuminates the names of the fallen.   Surrounding the park, is a continuous perimeter bench backed by a soft border of ornamental grasses.

 

The Pentagon Memorial is open to the public at no cost, but lies within the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia.  No guided tours are offered or planned; instead the area serves as a place to reflect and remember. Because the park is within the reservation, visitors are required to follow additional rules.  Photographs are permitted inside the park, only; firearms, fireworks, open containers, and political gatherings are prohibited. Complete rules can be found here. The Pentagon Memorial is located at 1 Rotary Road on the on the west side of the Pentagon within the reservation in Arlington, Virginia, and is open 24/7. Click here to get directions.