NEW YORK CITY, NY (CBS) -- Tomorrow is the eleventh anniversary of the terror attacks on the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 people. In New York, the memorial at the World Trade Center has been open for a year. But unfinished business continues to raise difficult questions.
Four and a half million visitors have come to visit the footprints of the twin towers. Memorial president Joe Daniels says the response has been phenomenal. He says, "The world has really embraced this as a place to come and visit and pay their respects. They step on this very ground where all that tragedy took place and they see it transformed into a place of beauty and inspiration."
But the site is still a work in progress. A budget battle has delayed the opening of the museum. Curator Jan Ramirez shows samples from the thousands of artifacts in storage. The family of firefighter David Halderman donated his helmet. Ramirez says, "His brother speculates there was a harsh blow to the back of the head."
The museum will also have a spot for the thousands of unidentified human remains which are currently stored here with the medical examiner. Daniels says, "There was a very strong push by the families to bring the remains back to what they call and we call sacred bedrock."
But many 9/11 families are against the city's plans to house the remains seven stories below ground. Jim Riches lost his oldest son Jimmy, a firefighter who died a day before his thirtieth birthday. Riches believes the remains should be placed above ground. He says, "If they did bring the remains up to memorial plaza I think it would bring a little more respect and dignity."
Riches feels the plaza has become more of a tourist attraction than a memorial. But he'll put aside disagreements for Tuesday's anniversary ceremony; a time to remember Jimmy and his sacrifice.
You can find out more about the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. There you can find pictures from that day, featured coverage, and hear the stories of people who were there that day and hear their experience and see the front pages of all of the newspapers across the country from September 11 and 12.