What time do the 9/11 lights go on? 2020 Memorial schedule explained!
Sebastian Wright
Published Apr 03, 2026
This year marks 19 years since the 9/11 terror attacks. Here’s when to see the lights, including at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and other places.
In the days and weeks before the 9/11 memorial services, there’s a lot of planning to be done.
Every year, there are different events to remember the people who lost their lives during the terror attacks.
The pandemic situation hasn’t stopped in-person and online events from going ahead this year.
Here’s the 2020 memorial schedule explained.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum lights – What time do they go on?
On Friday, September 11th, the Memorial & Museum lights will shine from dusk to dawn. They can be seen from 60 miles away on a clear night.
President & CEO Alice M. Greenwald said:
“On the night of September 11, from dusk until dawn, these two beloved beams of light will again shine as beacons of our city’s resilience. And this year, they will be powered by the will of the community.”
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum service has become an important event to honour the unbreakable spirit of New York.
The museum will open on Friday to welcome family members after being closed for six months.
Meanwhile, the general public will be allowed on Saturday but with timed tickets and social distancing rules in place.
The 9/11 lights in St Petersburg, Florida
On Friday, September 11th, the lights in St Petersburg, Florida will go on at approximately 9:11 pm.
Two large lights will shine up in the sky from the opposite ends of The Coliseum parking lot.
The lights will be up until midnight and should be visible from most of the downtown St Pete area, according to a Facebook event.
You can follow the link for more information on how to watch the live-streamed event.
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Other memorial services
The lights at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens in Palm Harbor will go on Friday between 8 pm and 10 pm.
The cemetery will broadcast a pre-recorded memorial service at 10:00 am on Friday on CurlewHills.com and on its Facebook page.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service will hold a shorter ceremony at Shanksville. A 20-minute ‘Moment of Remembrance’ will begin at 9:45 am on Friday.
