A museum set up to honor the victims of September 11 attacks has a new home. NY1's Angi Gonzalez filed the following report.
Adrian Pierce is a survivor. She was on the 47th floor of Tower 1 at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
"I had third-degree burns in my back about the size of a grapefruit," Pierce said.
She's one of 900 people directly affected the terror attacks who now share their stories at the new location of the 9/11 Tribute Museum.
Tuesday, a ceremony and ribbon cutting marked the museum's move and expansion from a small storefront on Liberty Street to its new home on Greenwich Street two blocks away.
"The new location is about three times that space, which allows us to tell a bigger story and also bring the story forward," said Jennifer Adams-Webb, CEO and co-founder of the 9/11 Tribute Museum.
When it opened in 2006, access to the space was limited to victims' family members, survivors, rescue workers and other volunteers.
The 9/11 Tribute Center eventually opened to the public, with the expectation it would be temporary. It was assumed its artifacts would be added to the national 9/11 Memorial.
Those who kept the center going say it earned its place as a separate museum.
"I have a place to come tell my story," Pierce said. "It gives me piece of mind."
While tour guides share their 9/11 experiences with guests, visitors are also encouraged to share their experiences of the day using reflection cards.
And while many of the pieces from the original space have made their way here, like a collection of more than 1,700 victims' photos, the museum's personal touch - the stories of the volunteers - is what leaves a lasting impression.
"Portraying every emotion that he had during that day to us is like a gift," said one museum visitor.
And with the expansion, there is a new focus on education.
"I come down here so that the history is still taught, to share the stories," said Guy Sanders, an EMT and a museum volunteer. "High school children weren't even born when this happened."
The new museum now also includes a seeds of service gallery, an exhibit intended to inspire visitors to take what they've learned and turn it into an acts of service.