During the past week there’s been news of a controversy over the idea of including the “World Trade Center Cross” at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan.  It seems that some people or groups are concerned about the intermingling of church and state, while others propose that the cross merits a place there because of its significance as a historical artifact.

Here at Historic Richmond Town, our collections include any number of objects and artworks that have religious significance—including a few pertaining to the very heart of this issue.  Our Indelible Memories Collection, assembled in 2002 and displayed at our museum in 2003, includes a photograph of a tattoo with an image of the steel beam cross.  (Link: http://statenisland.pastperfect-online.com/00039cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=F66061E2-A7CB-484B-BAAF-043658401637;type=102) This tattoo speaks to the enormous impact the sight of the cross had on a real person who lived through experiences that are probably difficult to discuss in words.  The image, photographed by Vinnie Amesse, portrays symbols and a phrase--“Never Forget”--that have become part of our national conversation.

To me, the question of whether it’s appropriate to include the cross at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is really a matter of tension between the two roles of that institution—“memorial” and “museum.”  A national memorial has a very special function that affects how and why people visit.  A memorial is a place for veneration more than objective study, so incorporating a well-known symbol implies that the symbol  and its meanings are honored by the sponsoring entity.  But where would our secular museums be if they were stripped of religious art or objects of spiritual significance?  Gone would be the Greek goddesses, African masks, medieval icons and Renaissance masterpieces.  Here at Historic Richmond Town, we’d probably have to close the Voorlezer’s House and the Basketmaker’s House, and possibly other landmarks as well, because of their associations with religious practices.  Our archives would be deprived of family Bibles and of records from religious institutions that have been central to community life on Staten Island.

As a curator, I’m very aware of the need to maintain an inclusive collection that is relevant, responsive, and reflective of the diversity of our people.  Our task here is not to promote a religious view, but to preserve the historical artifacts that may or may not be associated with such views.  I like to think of museums as good places to encounter new or different perspectives in a safe and comfortable setting.   I wish our colleagues at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum the best of luck as they navigate this challenging situation.

-Sarah