How to buy tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York

How to buy tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

The best way to buy tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is online in advance on the official website. These tickets will allow you to skip the line and are refundable up to 24 hours before your visit. However, if you want a deeper understanding of the events of September 11 and/or wish to visit One World Observatory, the tallest building in New York, we recommend booking this guided tour instead.

Online purchase (recommended)

Another way to buy a ticket for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is through the official website. While this may seem like the best choice, we recommend using this option only if you are seeking one of the free tickets, available on Mondays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., but they sell out quickly.

Tickets purchased through the official website are non-refundable, and you might want the security of being able to cancel in case your plans change. For this reason, we suggest booking tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum another way at the same price. One of the best ways to get a ticket is to book it through our partner. You will get a skip-the-line ticket for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, fully refundable up to 24 hours before your visit. You can also purchase family packages of four or five tickets at the same price as the official site.

Booking a guided tour with observatory ticket

To make the most of your visit, consider booking a guided tour of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This five-hour guided tour includes reserved entry to the One World Observatory, a guided walk at Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial, as well as a skip-the-line ticket to the 9/11 Museum. Your guide will be a local with a personal connection to the events of September 11 and will share insights about what happened on that terrible day and the symbolic significance of the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and the Firefighters’ Memorial Wall.

Purchase of a tourist pass

Another way to get the most out of a ticket to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and your visit to New York City is to purchase a tourist pass. You can get up to 40% off entrance tickets for attractions such as the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the Ellis Island Ferry with the Go City Explorer Pass, the New York Pass, or the New York CityPASS. The best pass to buy depends on what you plan to do and see during your vacation, so it’s best to plan your itinerary and then purchase the most suitable pass.

Useful information for visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

What is the best time to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum?

The best time to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is during the low tourist season, that is, from January to March. It is also preferable to visit on Wednesday or Thursday mornings, as the museum offers free entry on Mondays (making it quite crowded) and is closed on Tuesdays.

What are the opening hours of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum?

The 9/11 Memorial is open daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. The 9/11 Museum is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, except on Tuesdays when it is closed.

Where is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum located?

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum are located near the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood. The best way to reach the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is by using public transportation, taxis, or ride-sharing services, as parking is scarce in Manhattan. The World Trade Center subway stations are just a five-minute walk from the attraction.

How do tickets for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum work?

Tickets to the 9/11 Memorial and the 9/11 Museum are separate. If you want to visit only the memorial, you don’t need to buy a ticket in advance; just head to Ground Zero. However, if you also want to visit the 9/11 Museum (which we highly recommend), you will need to purchase a ticket. A regular ticket will give you access to the entire museum, including an exhibit about the 1993 Pentagon attack. You can also add other attractions and experiences to a regular ticket, such as a guided tour of the museum or the memorial.

You will need to book your museum tickets for a specific time slot. Once purchased, you can print them or download them to your mobile phone. Simply arrive shortly before your time slot, show your ticket, and proceed directly to the security checks.

How much do tickets to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum cost?

Ticket prices for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum vary slightly, especially if you combine them with other attractions. Please note that visiting the 9/11 Memorial is free, but the 9/11 Museum requires a ticket purchase. Including taxes and fees, a regular ticket costs €33 for adults, €21 for children aged 7 to 12, and €27 for seniors aged 65 and older, young adults aged 13 to 17, and American college students with valid ID. Admission is free for children under 7, active and retired military personnel with valid ID, and family members of those who died in the September 11 attacks.

Please note that booking directly on the official website gives you a non-refundable ticket, while a ticket purchased through our partner is fully refundable up to 24 hours before the scheduled visit and is at the same price. The 9/11 Museum website also offers free tickets from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm on Mondays, but these limited-availability tickets are reserved months in advance.

Here are the starting prices to add a tour to your tickets to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum or to combine them with a city pass:

• A guided tour of the memorial with tickets to the One World Observatory and the 9/11 Museum costs €109 for adults and €105 for children aged 3 to 13 (children under 3 are free).
• The price of the Go City Explorer Pass depends on the number of attractions chosen. The starting price for combining two attractions (up to a maximum of 10) is €94 for adults and €74 for children aged 3 to 13.
• The New York Pass provides access to over 100 tours and entrance tickets, with the price based on the number of validity days. A one-day pass starts at €164 for adults and €124 for children aged 3 to 12.
• A New York CityPASS offers great savings on five of the city’s top attractions, including the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Empire State Building, and the Guggenheim Museum. It costs €138 for adults and €118 for youths aged 6 to 17 (free for children under 5). The pass is valid for nine days after first use.

Safety information at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

The security protocol differs between the memorial and the museum. While there is no security line to enter the 9/11 Memorial, there is security present in the area to ensure that visitors are respectful. With the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed at the memorial. Alcohol, paint, weapons, litter, recreational wheeled vehicles (such as electric scooters), outside food and drinks, and bags larger than 48 x 43 x 20 cm are also prohibited. Smoking is not allowed either.

When entering the 9/11 Museum, you must pass through security checks. Potentially dangerous items such as firearms and replicas, knives and other cutting tools, glass bottles, paint, alcohol, and compressed gases (including pepper spray or bleach containers) are prohibited. Bags larger than 48 x 43 x 20 cm are not allowed inside either.

The best hotels near the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Since the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is located in one of New York’s most famous areas, you might want to stay nearby so you can walk to many major attractions.

If you want to stay in an affordable hotel with soundproof rooms, check out Gild Hall, A Thompson Hotel. Located in the heart of the Financial District, this four-star hotel offers an on-site restaurant, private parking, a fitness center, and room service.

A great pet-friendly hotel near the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is Hotel Indigo NYC Financial District by IHG. This three-star hotel features a fitness center, a bar, a restaurant, and room service.

If you’re looking for a bougie getaway in New York, consider staying at Conrad New York Downtown. This fabulous five-star hotel boasts an incredible rooftop bar, spacious suites, and on-site parking.

Additional information about the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

What happened on September 11?

On September 11, 2001, members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda carried out an attack on American soil, killing nearly 3,000 people from 93 countries. These 19 members hijacked four commercial planes, deliberately crashing two into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. They planned to crash the fourth plane, Flight 93, into a federal government building in Washington D.C. Thanks to the heroic intervention of the passengers of Flight 93, the terrorists instead crashed the plane into a rural field in Western Pennsylvania.

What is the 9/11 Memorial?

The 9/11 Memorial was inaugurated in 2011, 10 years after the tragic attacks, to honor those who lost their lives that day. The Memorial Plaza features two reflecting pools where the Twin Towers stood, with the names of the victims inscribed along the edges, as well as over 400 swamp white oak trees and a tree dedicated to the survivors of the attack.

What is the 9/11 Museum?

Located near the Memorial Plaza, the 9/11 Museum houses several exhibits that tell the stories of survivors, those who died, and first responders, as well as the aftermath of the attacks. Visitors typically spend two to three hours inside.

Who built the 9/11 Memorial & Museum?

The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation owns and manages the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. In 2004, it held an open international competition to design the memorial. Israeli-American architect Michael Arad from Handel Architects won the competition, designing the memorial with two reflecting pools and the largest man-made waterfall in North America. Construction began in 2006 and lasted about five years.

When can I see the Tribute in Light at the 9/11 Memorial?

Two bright blue lights rise in place of the Twin Towers every year on September 11 as a tribute to those who died in the attacks.

Can I take photos at the 9/11 Memorial?

Yes, photography is allowed at the memorial, but not professional photography for commercial use.

Are the 9/11 Museum and the 9/11 Tribute Museum the same thing?

No, the 9/11 Museum is the official museum of the 9/11 site. The 9/11 Tribute Museum is owned and operated by the September 11th Families Association. Unfortunately, the 9/11 Tribute Museum has permanently moved online, having closed its physical location in August 2022.

Is there a dress code for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum?

No, there is no dress code. However, please keep in mind that both the memorial and museum are places of remembrance, so we ask that you be respectful during your visit.

Additionally, it is important to note that the 9/11 Memorial is free to the public, while the Museum requires ticket purchase. So, if you want to visit both attractions, you’ll need to buy a specific ticket for the museum.

Once you have purchased your tickets, you can access the 9/11 Memorial and immerse yourself in this meaningful experience. The Memorial Plaza offers a place for reflection and remembrance, with the two reflecting pools symbolizing the lost Twin Towers. Walking along the edges of the memorial and reading the names of the victims engraved on the bronze walls is a profound and moving experience.

The 9/11 Museum, on the other hand, allows you to deepen your knowledge of the events of that tragic day. Through interactive exhibits and testimonies from survivors and first responders, you can better understand the impact of the attacks and their significance for the American nation and the entire world. From galleries dedicated to the victims to reconstructions of the events, the museum offers an immersive and highly emotional experience.

A complete visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum usually requires several hours. We recommend planning at least half a day to be able to explore both attractions without rushing and fully appreciate their meaning. In addition, if you have the chance, consider opting for a guided tour, which will allow you to gain an even deeper understanding of the events and their impact.

Regardless of how you choose to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, this experience will surely be a significant moment in your trip to New York City. Remember to approach this attraction with respect and awareness, to honor the memory of those who lost their lives on that tragic day.

Conclusion

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum represent an important stop for anyone visiting New York City. This attraction offers the opportunity to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attacks, understand their impact, and reflect on the meaning of that tragic day for American and world history.

Thanks to the various ticket purchase options, you can personalize your visit according to your needs and preferences. Whether you choose to visit the memorial for free, buy a ticket to the museum, or opt for a complete guided tour, the important thing is to experience this with due respect and reflection.

As you prepare to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, remember to plan your itinerary properly and allow yourself enough time. This historic site deserves your attention and commitment to fully understand its meaning.

Whether you are an American or international visitor, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum are an essential stop for anyone wishing to better understand one of the most significant events in recent history. Prepare for a profound and moving experience that will leave an indelible mark on your trip to New York City.