Touchstone: Remembering the 20th Anniversary of 9-11

As we remember the 20th anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on that day, as well those who aided in the search and recovery efforts for many days afterward.

In partnership with the New York State Museum in Albany, the FASNY Museum of Firefighting is honored to present the exhibit: Touchstone: Remembering the 20th Anniversary of 9-11. The majority of the objects in this exhibit are on loan from the NY State Museum. They were found during the recovery efforts that took place at Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, when hundreds of NYPD and FBI forensic experts sifted through the debris from the World Trade Center tragedy site, between September 2001 and July 2002.

We encourage visitors to compare how they feel today, 20 years after this touchstone moment in our nation’s history, to how they felt on September 11, 2001. We also invite the visitor to remember that not every action taken after 9-11 was heroic. After 9-11, there were many cases of violence against those who were, or who were perceived to be, Muslims, Sikhs or persons of Arab or South-Asian descent. Through an interactive, we ask visitors to consider this racism and why it occurred.

This temporary exhibit will be accessible with regular paid Museum admission through June 2024. This exhibit was made possible by the generous support of Ancient Temple Lodge No. 14, F. & A.M., the Bank of Greene County, Hudson River Bank and Trust Co. Foundation and Lowes.

Then, Now & Always: Firefighting from the Cradle of Rome Through the 1900s

Trace the evolution and development of firefighting from its ancient origins to the modern era of mechanization.

This informative and fascinating exhibit uses objects in the Museum’s collection as historical touchstones. Complemented by interpretive graphic panels and object cards, the exhibit chronicles the progression of organized firefighting and its social and technological implications. Here, you will discover some of the oldest and rarest objects in the Museum’s collection. Adjacent to the exhibit cases are the Museum’s earliest examples of fire apparatus dating as far back as 1731.

Social Favor & Local Flavor: The Firehouse of the 1800s

Learn about the firehouses, fire apparatus and equipment of the 1800s, as you explore a reproduction interior of a firehouse from that period.

Behold the grandeur and craftsmanship of the firehouses of the past, as you walk around a reproduction firehouse interior and examine the locally donated artifacts on exhibit. Learn how being a fireman “opened doors” for many men socially during the 1800s. Discover how the firehouse of the 1800s became the social meeting place for the community during this era. Learn how firemen gave their fire apparatus nicknames and try to “Name That Fire Engine” in the interactive portion of the exhibit. Or pass the downtime as the firefighters did, by playing a game of checkers or cards, using the period reproduction objects you’ll find.

The exhibit is representative of the local firehouses of Hudson during the 1800s. Discover who the patrons of the local firehouses were and learn about the history of each firehouse. This section of the exhibit was done with the assistance of students from the Hudson City School District, who participated in the after-school Museum studies program.