Free admission at the 9/11 Museum in 2026

How do Free Admission Mondays work at the 9/11 Museum?

Free tickets for 5:30 to 7 p.m. go online at 7 a.m. ET each Monday, first come, first served.

The Museum's wording: "Free Admission Monday tickets will be available on the website each Monday beginning at 7 a.m. ET and are first come, first serve. Last entrance is 5:30 p.m." That leaves 90 minutes inside before the 7 p.m. close. It is enough for the historical exhibition if you move with purpose, not enough for everything.

Set an alarm. Free Monday tickets are limited, with a maximum of four per person. If you miss out, a normal ticket for the same evening is still $36; a daytime slot gives you more time for the same money.

What are the New York First Sundays dates for 2026-27?

1 November and 6 December 2026, then 3 January, 7 February and 7 March 2027, each from 4 to 7 p.m.

The program started in February 2025, ABC7 reported, with the Carnegie Corporation's president noting that only six percent of visitors were New Yorkers. The current Museum page says: "On the first Sunday of each month, from 4-7 p.m., we offer free admission to those who live, work, and study in the New York area. ID is required."

Bring something that proves the link: a state ID with a local address, a work badge or a student card. Visitors from out of town do not qualify.

Who gets into the 9/11 Museum free every day?

9/11 family members, rescue and recovery workers, FDNY, NYPD and PAPD members, active and retired U.S. military and veterans, Museum members and children 6 and under.

These groups can book free tickets for any regular slot, with valid ID where it applies. Members get unlimited free admission, expedited entry and guest passes. Our ticket guide has the full price table.

Through Museums for All, anyone with SNAP benefits gets free entry by showing an EBT card at the box office, up to four tickets per person. It works at any time the Museum is open, which makes it the most flexible free option of all.

Is a free evening slot enough to see the 9/11 Museum?

For a first look, yes. For the whole Museum, no: most people need two to three hours.

The Museum suggests 45 to 90 minutes; guests report two to three hours, and our guide to how long the Museum takes explains why. On a free Monday you have 90 minutes from 5:30. Go straight down to the historical exhibition and Foundation Hall, and leave the special exhibitions for another day.

A First Sunday gives you three hours, which is plenty. In winter it is dark by the time you come out. The new 25th anniversary exhibitions are in our post on what's new.

Is a paid ticket or a tour better value than the free hours?

If you only have one day in New York, yes. A daytime ticket costs $36 and gives you the full Museum; a tour adds context for very little more.

A free slot ties you to one evening and a short window. A family of two adults and two children aged 7 to 12 pays $120 at standard prices, and the Museum's Family Pass for four or five people costs $106 to $125. For many visitors the free hours do not fit the trip, and that is fine.

The cheapest guided option is the City Wonders Memorial tour from $24, which ends at the Museum door. The Ground Zero walking tour from $29 lets you add Museum entry at checkout. Pair either with a free Monday ticket and you see the site with a guide in the afternoon and the Museum in the evening.

A small-group walk with a New Yorker, with Museum entry as an option at checkout.

★ 4.8 · Up to 4 hours · from $29

Explore the Ground Zero walking tour → Tour details

Frequently asked questions