Obama opens 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York

"How people helped each other that day, and that they will be inspired to do the same in ways both big and small. This is the true legacy of Sep 11," the paper quoted Crowther's mother Alison as saying.

A mangled fire truck and chilling videos of the towers crumbling to dust was previewed for the president.

The twisted steel beams, the teddy bears and family photos that were found in the wreckage were also displayed in the museum's 110,000 square feet of exhibition space.

The museum, to open to the public May 21, seeks to tell the story of 9/11 through multi-media displays, personal narratives and a collection of monumental and personal artifacts.

The space includes two core exhibitions at the archaeological heart of the site: the memorial exhibition, called "In Memoriam," and a three-part historical exhibition that explores the day of the attacks, what led to them and their aftermath.