ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Pentagon Memorial Fund (PMF) announced today that the FY2026 Defense Bill, signed into law by President Trump, includes $12 million in federal funding to support the establishment of a Visitor Education Center (VEC) adjacent to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.
“The inclusion of this $12 million is a monumental step forward for a long-overdue project,” said Joseph Kornhoff, Executive Director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund. “Twenty-five years have passed since that day. It is imperative that we provide a meaningful educational experience for the generations who know 9/11 only through the lens of history books.”
While the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial was the first of the three attack sites to be dedicated (opening in 2008), it remains the only site without a permanent facility to educate its nearly one million annual visitors.
The future Visitor Education Center will serve as a definitive resource, featuring:
* Historic Artifacts: Preserving the physical history of the attack.
* Personal Narratives: First-hand accounts from survivors and families of the fallen.
* Interactive Displays: Programs focused on the themes of service, resilience, and national unity.
Established in 2003 by the families of the 184 victims of American Airlines Flight 77, the PMF has spent over two decades collaborating with federal, state, and private partners to honor those lost at 9:37 AM on September 11, 2001.
“The Pentagon Memorial Fund’s mission has always relied on the generous support of public and private partners committed to the promise to ‘Never Forget,'” Kornhoff added. “We are grateful to federal policymakers for helping us fulfill our collective responsibility to honor those who perished and to educate future generations so that such a tragedy never happens again.”
The allocation in the FY2026 Defense Appropriations Bill provides a critical foundation for the project’s total construction costs. With these resources secured, the Pentagon Memorial Fund will transition into the next phase of development, moving closer to breaking ground on a facility that ensures the lessons of 9/11 are etched into the “granite of time.”
About the Pentagon Memorial Fund
The Pentagon Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization established by the families of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Its mission is to provide for the construction and maintenance of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial and the future Visitor Education Center. For more information, visit www.pentagonmemorial.org.
Contact: Joe Kornhoff, Executive Director jkornhoff@pentagon-memorial.org
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SOURCE Pentagon Memorial Fund
