9/11 Never Forget mobile exhibit coming to eastern Idaho
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IDAHO FALLS — A unique opportunity is coming on wheels to the eastern Idaho community to showcase a piece of American history.
Heroes Defense, a local nonprofit, is bringing Tunnel to Towers, a “9/11 Never Forget” mobile exhibit, to Idaho Falls.
It will be at The Waterfront at Snake River Landing, 1220 Event Center Drive, from Sept. 7 to Sept. 11.
Co-founder of Heroes Defense Travis Snowder said to get a good view of 9/11, it’s best to travel to New York City; however, that can be an expensive trip.
On the other hand, he said this exhibit is an opportunity to have the same experience but for free.
“You are going to walk through 9/11 exhibits with someone who was on the ground that day. That’s not even something you get when you go to New York City,” Snowder said.
Heroes Defense dubs the event a “solemn” and “rare opportunity.” View the times of when the exhibit is open. There will be food, vendors, and merch on site.
According to Tunnel to Towers Foundation online, it is a tribute to all those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2011, including the 343 members of the FDNY who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The 83-foot tractor-trailer transforms into a 1,100-square-foot exhibit. It’s used as a tool to educate people throughout the country about the events of the tragic day. Online, it says the memorial provides interactive education, artifacts like steel beams from the towers, and recordings of first responder radio transmissions.
Watch a video below.
“It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity unless you want to fly to New York City,” Snowder said.
Groups are rotated through different rooms set up inside the trailer.
Director for Heroes Defense Jesse Ferney added that there will be a local artist named Elena Johnson doing a charcoal drawing live and in person over the course of the five days at the Tunnel to Towers event.
He said anyone who would like to buy a raffle ticket for it will have a chance to win it on Sept. 11.
Ferney told EastIdahoNews.com that they expect thousands of people to come through the trailer, including students.
“I promise these kids that go through, when they leave that exhibit and then they are at dinner with their family, and they see a firefighter or a police officer, they are going to think about this,” Ferney said.
He said it’s a special opportunity you won’t want to miss.
“It’s more rare than Luke Bryan coming to the Mountain America Center, it’s more rare than a hockey game, it’s more rare than even the Melaleuca fireworks, which happen every year. I don’t know if it will ever happen again (here),” Ferney said.
The 9/11 Never Forget mobile exhibit has traveled across several states and Canada, welcoming over 600,000 people to date.
