Visitors began coming to the site almost immediately after the crash, and five years later the site attracts more than 130,000 people annually.  Visitors come from every state and numerous countries around the world to see the temporary memorial.  When visitors arrive, they are overcome with emotion; the rolling hills and serene landscape make it nearly impossible to imagine that such a horrible tragedy came to pass in this peaceful place.

The temporary memorial, overlooking the crash site, is a 40-foot-long section of fence adorned with flowers, handwritten messages, artwork, and flags of all sizes from around the world. Visitors leave behind tokens of their appreciation and respect, including baseball hats, T-shirts, religious symbols, artwork, jewelry, and personal photographs. Many record their thoughts in bound books at the site or write on blank cards that they leave in a weatherproof box.  Some simply write their message on the guard rail in the parking lot.  Visitors are so moved by this place that they feel inspired to leave a piece of themselves behind to pay their respects.

The Flight 93 Tributes and Archives
These tributes, along with other objects collected from the temporary site, are the property of the Flight 93 National Memorial and are under the dedicated care of the National Park Service. The items collected over the years have been stored employing recognized museum conservation techniques for the preservation of objects for future exhibition, study and other educational purposes. The collection currently contains more than 20,000 objects and is growing daily.  In addition to these materials, the archives will contain oral histories that tell the story of that day in the words of family members of the passengers and crew, first responders, and community members who heard the plane roar overhead. The oral histories will also reveal how these people came together to create the Flight 93 National Memorial and will share the creative thinking of those who entered the design competition.

The Ambassadors
Shanksville and the surrounding Stonycreek Township is home to the Ambassadors, a group of 43 individuals whose lives also changed forever on September 11. These devoted citizens volunteer their time seven days a week, 365 days a year, to serve as greeters at the Temporary Memorial, making sure that personal welcomes are offered and questions are answered. Their sustained record of service is a remarkable tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the passengers and crew of Flight 93.