9/11 Memorial & Museum Tickets: Prices, Tours & Visiting Guide
The outdoor Memorial is free and open every day. The Museum underneath it is ticketed, with timed entry. Here’s what each costs, which tour actually gets you inside, when admission is free, and how to plan a visit that leaves room to take it in.
9/11 Memorial & Museum Tickets: What You Need to Know
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum sits on the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, and it has two parts. You don’t need a ticket for the 9/11 Memorial. The two reflecting pools and the plaza around them are free and open to everyone, every day. You do need a ticket for the 9/11 Museum, which sits beneath the plaza, and that ticket is for a specific date and entry time.
General admission covers the Museum’s core exhibitions, self-guided, at your own pace. Guided tours are sold separately and most include admission. The one that doesn’t is the outdoor Memorial tour, which is easy to book by mistake. The Museum says timed tickets must be bought in advance, so pick your date and slot before you head downtown, not at the door.
Choosing the time matters more than at most attractions. This isn’t a place to squeeze in between two other stops, and most people come out wanting a few quiet minutes before they do anything else. Give it a morning or an afternoon, and put whatever you plan next at a gentle distance.
The Memorial
The outdoor plaza: two pools in the footprints of the Twin Towers, the names of the 2,983 people killed in 2001 and 1993, the Survivor Tree and the Memorial Glade. No ticket, no reservation.
The Museum
Underground, at bedrock: the historical and memorial exhibitions, artifacts from the site, and the slurry wall. Timed entry, from $36 for adults, with free options on set days.
Some ticket links on this page go to GetYourGuide, which resells timed Museum tickets and tours, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links to 911memorial.org are the Museum’s own site and are not affiliate links. Prices below are the Museum’s official prices, checked October 21, 2026.
9/11 Museum Ticket Prices
These are the official 9/11 Museum admission prices from the Museum’s own ticket store. A ticket gets you self-guided entry to the exhibitions at your chosen time. Guided tours, the audio guide and special programs are extra.
| Ticket | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18–64) | $36 | Standard timed admission |
| Senior (65+) | $30 | |
| U.S. college student | $30 | Valid student ID required |
| Young adult (13–17) | $30 | |
| Youth (7–12) | $24 | |
| Child (6 and under) | Free | Still needs a ticket |
| U.S. veterans, active and retired U.S. military | Free | Service member only, with ID, limit 1 |
| FDNY, NYPD, PAPD | Free | Service member only, with ID, limit 1 |
| Family Pass (2 adults + 2 kids, 7–17) | $106 | Five-person version (3 kids) is $125 |
| Audio guide | $11 | Optional add-on |
Prices and eligibility can change. Check the Museum’s ticket store for your date. Advance tickets can be refunded or exchanged up to 24 hours before your entry time, with one free exchange, according to the Museum.
Official site or a booking platform?
The Museum sells tickets directly at 911memorial.org. Booking sites like GetYourGuide resell the same timed-entry tickets, sometimes bundled with a walking tour. Some people prefer one checkout for several attractions, or the platform’s cancellation terms. Either way, check exactly what the listing includes. No reseller is the “official” ticket, and the free Memorial never needs one.
Passes that include the Museum
The Museum lists NYC CityPASS, the New York Pass by Go City and similar multi-attraction passes as including admission. They only save money if you’ll use most of what’s on them. Do the math against the $36 ticket plus whatever else you’re actually planning.
Is the 9/11 Memorial Free?
Yes. The 9/11 Memorial is free to visit, every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no ticket or reservation. Only the Museum below it charges admission.
The pools
Two pools, each nearly an acre, sit in the footprints of the North and South Towers. Water falls 30 feet into each basin and then another 20 feet into a central void. The design, Reflecting Absence, is by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker.
The names
The names of the 2,983 people killed on September 11, 2001 and in the February 26, 1993 bombing are cut into bronze parapets around the pools. They’re arranged by where people were and who they were with, so colleagues and friends are placed beside one another. The 1993 victims are on the North Pool.
The Survivor Tree
A Callery pear found badly damaged at Ground Zero in October 2001. New York City Parks workers nursed it back to health, and it was returned to the plaza in 2010. It’s the tree most visitors look for.
The Memorial Glade
Opened in 2019 in the southwest corner of the plaza. It honors rescue, recovery and relief workers and others who became sick or died from exposure to toxins after the attacks. Six stone monoliths are inlaid with World Trade Center steel.
When the free Memorial is enough
Many visitors spend their time at the pools and leave it there, and that’s a complete visit, not a lesser one. It’s the right call if you have young children, are short on time, are on a tight budget, or simply don’t want to go through the Museum’s harder material. You can always come back for the Museum on another trip. If you want context while you’re on the plaza, the Museum runs a 45-minute outdoor Memorial tour for $24. More on that below.
How to Buy 9/11 Museum Tickets
- Pick your date. The Museum is open Wednesday through Monday and on select Tuesdays. Tickets go on sale up to six months ahead.
- Choose the ticket type. General admission, a Family Pass, a guided tour that includes admission, or a free category you qualify for.
- Choose your entry time. Your ticket is for a set slot. Last entry is about an hour before the Museum closes.
- Keep the ticket on your phone or print it. If you’re using a free or discounted category, bring the ID it requires.
- Arrive early for security. Every Museum visitor goes through screening, so give yourself a cushion before your entry time.
Can you get same-day tickets?
Sometimes. If slots are left, you can usually still buy online for later that day. Nothing is guaranteed, though, especially on weekends, holiday weeks and around September, so don’t plan around walking up. The safest move is to book before you leave the hotel, even if it’s only that morning.
Buy from the Museum or a booking site you trust
Stick to 911memorial.org or a reputable booking platform. Read what the listing includes before you pay, especially “Ground Zero” packages, where Museum entry is often an optional add-on.
9/11 Museum Tours, Memorial Tours and Ground Zero Tours
A guide changes the experience. You get the background, the stories behind specific objects, and someone to set the pace through difficult rooms. Here is what each option actually includes. Watch the last column.
| Option | Length | Price | What it covers | Museum entry? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-guided admissionOfficial | 45–90 min+ | $36 adult | The exhibitions at your own pace; audio guide $11 extra | Yes |
| Museum TourOfficial | 60 min | $60 adult · $48–$54 other ages | Key Museum spaces, the lead-up to the attacks and their wider impact; expedited entry | Yes |
| Early Access Museum TourOfficial | 60 min | $75 | Inside before the Museum opens to the public | Yes |
| Memorial + Museum TourOfficial | 90 min | $85 | The plaza and the Museum with one guide; runs seasonally, March to early January | Yes |
| Official 9/11 Memorial Guided TourOfficial | 45 min | $24 | Outdoors only: the history, the people and the design of the Memorial | No |
| Ground Zero walking toursIndependent operators | 1.5–2.5 hr | Varies | Lower Manhattan and the Memorial with a private guide, often someone with a personal connection to 9/11 | Only if you add it |
Official tour prices from the Museum’s ticket store, checked October 21, 2026. The Museum also runs a 60-minute Spanish-language Museum tour on select Sundays and Wednesdays, a Youth & Family tour in summer, and private tours. Official tours are designed for adults and teens.
Are the guided tours worth it?
For first-time visitors who want to understand what they’re seeing, yes. The 60-minute Museum Tour is the best value of the official options, since it includes admission and adds $24 to the adult ticket. The Early Access tour is worth it if crowds bother you. The Memorial + Museum tour is the most complete single booking. If you’d rather move through at your own pace and stop wherever you need to, skip the tour and rent the audio guide.
Ground Zero tours sold on booking sites are run by independent companies, not the Museum. Many are excellent. Guides often worked downtown in 2001, or lost someone. But they are not official Museum programs, and Museum admission is usually an optional extra. Check that it’s selected before you pay.
9/11 Museum Free Admission and Discounts
There’s no promo code that knocks money off a 9/11 Museum ticket. What exists are free programs on set days and complimentary admission for specific groups. These are the ones the Museum lists right now:
Free Admission Mondays
Free tickets for entry between 5:30 and 7 p.m. They’re released online at 7 a.m. Eastern that Monday, in limited numbers, up to four per person, first come, first served. Have the ticket page open at 7.
New York First Sundays
Free admission from 4 to 7 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month for people who live, work or study in the New York area. ID is required. Check the Museum’s discounts page for how to reserve.
Museums for All
Free admission for SNAP recipients. Show your EBT card at the box office, up to four people per card.
Service members and first responders
U.S. veterans, active and retired U.S. military, and FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority Police personnel get free admission for the service member, with ID, one per person. Family members of 9/11 victims and Museum members are also admitted free.
Free Tuesdays are not a thing
Older travel posts mention free Tuesday evenings. That program ended, and the Museum is now closed most Tuesdays. Today the free evening is Monday.
Kids 6 and under are always free but still need a ticket. One care partner accompanying a visitor with a disability is admitted free. Email the Museum’s access team after you buy your own ticket.
9/11 Museum Hours and the Best Time to Visit
Plus select Tuesdays. In fall 2026 that’s every Tuesday in October and December, and November 24. Last entry is about an hour before closing.
Free, no ticket.
On the atrium terrace. Outside food and drink aren’t allowed.
Hours change around holidays and commemorations. Check the Museum’s special hours page before your date, especially if it falls on a Tuesday or near September 11.
Best time to go
- A 9 a.m. weekday slot lets you start fresh and come out with the rest of the day still open.
- The Early Access tour gets you in before the public, if you want the rooms at their quietest.
- Late afternoon works well if you want to step out onto the plaza as the light fades and the names are lit.
- Around September 11, hours and access change for the anniversary commemoration. Check the Museum’s calendar before planning a visit that week.
What Is Inside the 9/11 Museum?
You enter through the glass pavilion on the plaza, past two steel “tridents” from the base of the North Tower, then walk down a long ramp to bedrock, about 70 feet below the Memorial. The descent is deliberate. By the time you reach the bottom you’re standing within the foundations of the original World Trade Center.
Foundation Hall
A vast space bounded by the slurry wall, the original retaining wall that held back the Hudson River and survived the collapse. The Last Column stands here. It’s a 36-foot steel beam covered in tributes, and it was the final piece removed from Ground Zero at the end of the nine-month recovery.
The Historical Exhibition
Three parts. Events of the Day follows September 11 as it unfolded, through artifacts, images and first-person testimony, including real-time audio. Before 9/11 covers the context, including the 1993 bombing. After 9/11 covers the recovery, the rebuilding and the attacks’ effects around the world.
In Memoriam
Walls of portraits of the people who died in 2001 and 1993. Touchscreen tables let you learn about individuals through photos, belongings and recorded memories from the people who knew them. It’s the quietest part of the Museum, and many visitors find it the hardest.
Artifacts from the site
Steel, vehicles, personal objects and pieces of the towers themselves. That includes the Survivors’ Stairs, the staircase hundreds of people used to escape, and FDNY Ladder Company 3’s fire truck.
A note before you go
Some of the material is hard to experience, especially the recorded voices in the historical exhibition. You can move through at your own pace, skip sections, or step out to rest. Staff are used to visitors who need a moment. Photography isn’t allowed in the September 11, 2001 exhibition or In Memoriam, among other areas.
How Long Should You Spend at the 9/11 Museum?
The Museum suggests planning at least 45 to 90 minutes. That’s a minimum, not a target. Seeing both main exhibitions properly usually takes longer.
Foundation Hall, In Memoriam, and a lighter pass through the historical exhibition.
Both main exhibitions properly, with time to sit and reflect.
For people who want to read, watch and listen to everything.
On top of that, allow extra time for security screening, and time at the pools before or after. Leaving the exits on the south side means you can’t get back in, so use the restroom and plan your break before you leave.
Is the 9/11 Museum Worth Visiting?
Yes, for most adults and teenagers, and for many people it’s the most affecting place they visit in New York. It’s not a light outing, and it isn’t meant to be. It’s a place to understand what happened, who was lost, and how the city and the world responded. It does that with real care.
It’s especially worthwhile if you remember the day, if you’re traveling with teens who studied it in school, or if you want to understand the site you’re standing on rather than just photograph it. A guided tour helps if you want context without reading every panel.
The free Memorial may be the better choice if you’re with young children, if you’ve lost someone to violence or recently been through something difficult, or if you only have an hour. Standing at the pools is a complete and meaningful visit on its own.
Visiting with Children and Accessibility
Children
The Museum doesn’t set a minimum age, and kids 6 and under are free. Official tours are aimed at adults and teens, and a Youth & Family tour runs in summer. The historical exhibition includes first-person testimony and audio from the day that many parents choose to skip with younger children. Use your own judgment about your child. The Museum publishes guidance on talking with children about 9/11 that’s worth reading before you go. Strollers are allowed on the Memorial plaza. For the rest of a family day, see NYC with kids.
Accessibility
- All Museum entrances, exhibitions and public areas are wheelchair accessible, with elevators wherever there are stairs. The Memorial plaza has several accessible entrances.
- Manual wheelchairs and walkers are free to borrow, first come, first served, for use inside the Museum.
- The audio guide includes an audio-description tour and an ASL video tour. ASL interpretation for guided tours is free with two weeks’ notice.
- Induction loops, captions and transcripts are available. The Museum is kept at 68–72°F.
- One care partner is admitted free, and service animals are welcome. Details are on the Museum’s accessibility page, or email access@911memorial.org.
Security, Bags, Photos and Entry Rules
The plaza is more relaxed. Strollers are fine, and bikes and scooters are allowed as long as you walk them. Please don’t throw or place anything in the pools. Flowers and small tributes can be left at the parapets.
Getting to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Address: 180 Greenwich Street, Lower Manhattan, NY 10007. The Museum entrance is the glass pavilion on the plaza between the two pools.
WTC Cortlandt is right at the site.
World Trade Center
Cortlandt St or Rector St
Park Place, Chambers St or Fulton St
Fulton St or Chambers St
Fulton St (also J and Z)
World Trade Center station, from New Jersey
There’s no Memorial parking, and street parking downtown is very limited. If you’re driving in from New Jersey, the Museum suggests parking near a PATH station and riding in. Rideshare drop-offs work, but traffic around the site is slow at rush hour. For subway basics, see our NYC subway tips.
Nearby Attractions and How to Plan the Day
Lower Manhattan is compact, and you can easily fill a day here. The one rule is to let the Museum breathe. Most people want a coffee, a walk or a quiet half hour afterward before jumping to the next ticketed thing.
+ One World Observatory
Directly across the plaza, 100 floors up. Going up after the Museum gives you the whole site from above, though many people prefer to do it first, or after lunch. See our One World Observatory guide for tickets.
+ The Oculus
Santiago Calatrava’s white, winged transit hub sits just north of the plaza and is free to walk through. It connects to the PATH and several subway lines and has shops and food inside. It’s an easy place to sit down afterward.
+ Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
The ferry leaves from the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan. Doing both is a full day, so start with the ferry in the morning and visit the Museum in the afternoon. See our Statue of Liberty guide, or see the harbor on a shorter NYC boat tour.
+ Brooklyn Bridge
A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in the late afternoon is a good way to clear your head after the Museum. Dinner in DUMBO is waiting on the other side.
Need a base? Downtown hotels make an early slot easy, but most visitors stay in Midtown. The 1, 2, 3, E and R trains all run here directly. Our NYC in a weekend plan shows where a downtown day fits.
Common Mistakes When Visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Thinking the Memorial and the Museum are the same ticket. The Memorial is free. Only the Museum needs a ticket.
- Showing up without a timed ticket. Book your slot online before you go.
- Booking the outdoor Memorial tour and expecting to go inside. The $24 tour doesn’t include Museum admission.
- Planning around free Tuesdays. That program ended. Free entry is now Monday evenings, and the Museum is closed most Tuesdays.
- Underestimating the time. Security, the exhibitions and the plaza easily add up to half a day.
- Bringing a big bag or suitcase. Anything over 8 × 17 × 19 inches has to be checked, and staff can refuse oversized items.
- Stacking three attractions back to back. Give yourself a break after the Museum.
- Buying a vague “Ground Zero ticket.” Check whether Museum entry is actually included.
9/11 Memorial & Museum: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need 9/11 Memorial tickets?
No. The outdoor 9/11 Memorial, including the two reflecting pools, the names and the Survivor Tree, is free and open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with no ticket or reservation. Only the 9/11 Museum below the plaza requires a ticket.
How much are tickets to the 9/11 Museum?
Official 9/11 Museum tickets are $36 for adults 18 to 64, $30 for seniors 65 and up, U.S. college students and ages 13 to 17, $24 for ages 7 to 12, and free for children 6 and under. U.S. veterans, active and retired military, and FDNY, NYPD and PAPD personnel are admitted free with ID. Prices were checked on the Museum’s ticket store in October 2026.
Where can I buy 9/11 Memorial Museum tickets?
Buy 9/11 Memorial Museum tickets on the Museum’s official site, 911memorial.org, or through a reputable booking platform such as GetYourGuide that resells the same timed-entry tickets. Check exactly what a listing includes, since some Ground Zero packages only include Museum entry as an optional add-on.
Can you visit the 9/11 Memorial for free?
Yes. The Memorial plaza is always free. The Museum is also free during set programs: Free Admission Mondays from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with tickets released online at 7 a.m. that day, and New York First Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m. for people who live, work or study in the New York area, with ID.
Do you need to book the 9/11 Museum in advance?
Yes. The Museum says timed tickets must be purchased in advance, and they go on sale up to six months ahead. Booking a day or a few hours ahead can work on quieter days, but weekends, holidays and dates around September 11 can fill sooner.
Can you buy 9/11 Museum tickets the same day?
Often, if entry times are still available, you can buy online the same day. Availability isn’t guaranteed, so buy before you head downtown rather than counting on tickets at the door.
How long does the 9/11 Museum take?
The Museum recommends at least 45 to 90 minutes. Seeing both main exhibitions properly usually takes two hours or more, so add time for that, for security and for the outdoor Memorial pools.
What are the 9/11 Museum hours?
The 9/11 Museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., plus select Tuesdays, with last entry about an hour before closing. The outdoor Memorial is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours change around holidays and anniversaries.
Is the 9/11 Museum open on Tuesdays?
Only on select Tuesdays. In fall 2026 the Museum is open every Tuesday in October and December and on November 24. Check the Museum’s special hours page for the Tuesday you have in mind. The outdoor Memorial is open every day.
Is the 9/11 Museum free on Mondays?
Yes, during Free Admission Mondays. A limited number of free tickets for entry between 5:30 and 7 p.m. are released online at 7 a.m. Eastern each Monday, first come, first served, with a limit of four per person.
Who qualifies for New York First Sundays?
People who live, work or study in the New York area. Admission is free from 4 to 7 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month, and ID is required. Check the Museum’s discounts page for current reservation details.
Are 9/11 Museum guided tours worth it?
For first-time visitors who want context, yes. The official 60-minute Museum Tour costs $60 for adults, includes admission and expedited entry, and adds stories you would otherwise miss. If you prefer your own pace, general admission with the $11 audio guide is a good alternative.
Does a Ground Zero tour include Museum admission?
Not usually. The official 45-minute 9/11 Memorial Guided Tour is outdoors only and does not include Museum admission, and most independent Ground Zero walking tours sell Museum entry as an optional add-on. Check the listing before you book.
Can you visit the 9/11 Museum with children?
Yes. There’s no minimum age, and children 6 and under are free with a ticket. Some exhibits include first-person testimony and audio from the day that may be too intense for young children, so many families focus on the outdoor Memorial and the Foundation Hall. The Museum offers guidance for talking with children about 9/11.
Can you take pictures inside the 9/11 Museum?
Personal photos without flash are allowed in most of the Museum. Photography is not allowed in the September 11, 2001 historical exhibition, In Memoriam, the auditorium, the South Tower Gallery or at security.
Where is the 9/11 Museum entrance?
The Museum entrance is the glass pavilion on the Memorial plaza, between the two pools, at 180 Greenwich Street in Lower Manhattan. The closest subway is WTC Cortlandt on the 1 train.
Is the 9/11 Museum wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All Museum entrances, exhibitions and public areas are wheelchair accessible, with elevators wherever there are stairs. Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge, and one accompanying care partner is admitted free.
Can you visit One World Observatory on the same day?
Yes. One World Observatory is directly across the plaza. Many visitors go up before the Museum or after lunch, leaving a break between the two rather than going straight from one to the other.
Is the Oculus free to visit?
Yes. The Oculus, the World Trade Center transportation hub designed by Santiago Calatrava, is free to walk through. It sits just north of the Memorial and connects to the PATH and several subway lines.
Planning a Respectful Visit
Book your time, arrive early for security, and leave space after. The pools, a walk or a seat in the Oculus are all good places to pause before the rest of the day.
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