The Massive Hidden Art Losses of 9/11

The 9/11 attacks destroyed an estimated 110 million dollars worth of art. Beyond the human tragedy, this event remains the single largest disaster for the art industry in history.

While the world focused on the towers, centuries of history turned to dust within the complex. Nearly 100 million dollars of that total came from private collections that were largely uninsured for their full replacement value. Public sculptures and historical pieces held in the World Trade Center lobby were lost instantly. Experts still look back at this loss as a devastating blow to our global cultural heritage.