A nationwide tour commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11 brought a piece of the World Trade Center to Denver on Saturday as the Tunnel to Towers Foundation hosted a ceremony at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.

The foundation’s Steel Across America tour features a 21-foot steel beam weighing 16,900 pounds that was recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Denver marked the tour’s 27th stop on a cross-country journey that will span more than 10,500 miles before concluding at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2026.

Wings Over the Rockies President and CEO David Dickerson said the museum was honored to host the traveling memorial.

“I am deeply honored that the Tunnel to Towers Foundation chose Wings Over the Rockies as a stop on the ‘Steel Across America’ tour,” Dickerson said. “It is a great privilege to have these artifacts here with us and to hear the stories behind them.”

Retired FDNY Battalion Commander and Tunnel to Towers Foundation board member Jack Oehm led the ceremony, which opened with a color guard presentation, a pipes and drums procession and the national anthem. 

Oehm, who served with the New York City Fire Department, shared personal reflections on service and sacrifice and spoke about the lasting impact of Sept. 11 on first responders, victims’ families and the nation.

Stephen Siller Jr., whose father, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, was killed while responding to the attacks, told attendees that the legacy of those who died on Sept. 11 continues through the service of others.

“My father ran toward danger because he lived his life in service all the time. That same spirit is what carried a generation forward,” Siller said. “Every time we bring this steel to a new city, we’re reminded that his legacy, and the legacy of everyone we lost that day, didn’t end, it multiplied.”

During the ceremony, Oehm and Siller presented Dickerson with a commemorative steel flag containing original World Trade Center steel. The award is given by the foundation to individuals and organizations recognized for their support of its mission.

Following the formal program, visitors were invited to view the steel beam and explore the museum’s collection of aircraft, spacecraft and military artifacts.

On Wednesday, the Steel Across America will make its next official stop at the National WW1 Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo.