The National Quilt Museum of Paducah, Kentucky, presents the exhibit, "Never Forget: Quilts from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum," now through November 11th. Museum curator Rachael Baar speaks to Tracy Ross about the exhibit.
Unlike other traveling exhibits displayed at the museum in the past, "Never Forget" is exclusive to the museum. Once the exhibit ends, the artifacts will return to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.
Baar explains that after the museum's registrar, Laura Hendrickson, met and spoke to the registrar from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Hendrickson was inspired to bring an exhibit of 9/11 quilts to Paducah.
"That was about two years ago," Baar says. "This has been going on for a couple of years, working out the details. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, they don't normally loan their artifacts to other museums."
"This was a new opportunity for them. Of course, for us, it would be an amazing opportunity because so many people in this area may not ever have the opportunity to go to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum themselves."
The exhibit came to the museum on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Barr says that the anniversary made it "the perfect time to not only commemorate and honor but also then to really show the work of these fiber artists who are once again making quilts to express their feelings."
The National Quilt Museum offers free admission to first responders, front-line workers, and their guests through November 2nd. On November 11th, free admission will be open to everyone.
"It's our way of giving back and honoring the people who sacrificed through the events of 9/11 and then to honor our front-line and first responder workers who are still giving so much of themselves because of the pandemic," Baar says.
"Never Forget" can be viewed during normal National Quilt Museum business hours of Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Unvaccinated guests ages 12 and older are required to wear masks while inside the museum.
"All of these quilts are made by highly skilled fabric artists. They express condolence, patriotism, and solidarity. This is something that certainly I think everyone will be moved, saddened, honored, and proud. It's just a multitude of emotions that our viewers will have when they look at this exhibition," Baar concludes.
For more information about the National Quilt Museum, visit their website.
