Features: Hard Hats and Helmets

Inspired by metal helmets worn in battle during World War I, hard hats and rescue helmets have protected the heads of construction and demolition workers and others laboring in dangerous occupations in the United States since 1920.

More than an item of personal protective equipment, hard hats and helmets also serve as a canvas for self-expression as they provide a handy and visible surface for declaring one’s patriotism, political views, and trade or union affiliation. At the World Trade Center site after 9/11, the words “Never Forget,” silhouette sketches of the Twin Towers, and names and images of those who had been killed were among the many elements embellishing protective gear worn by recovery workers. The museum’s collection of hard hats and helmets also includes examples worn during the construction of the original World Trade Center in the 1970s and during the response to the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11.