Booking choice: The All Access 9/11 Experience, from $109 per person. Check dates Tour details
The Museum's own advice is to plan at least 45 to 90 minutes. Guests on the tours listed here tell a different story: two to three hours is normal, and many say they wished they had allowed more.
Morning is the calm time. Tuesdays and the anniversary are the days to avoid.
The quick answer
Allow two to three hours for the 9/11 Museum and 30 to 60 minutes for the Memorial pools. Go in the morning, avoid Tuesdays (the Museum is usually closed) and the September 11 anniversary, carry a small bag, and leave time to decompress afterwards. The All Access day takes about five hours.
How long should you spend at the 9/11 Museum?
Two to three hours for most visitors; under 90 minutes means skipping much of the historical exhibition.
Guests regularly report two and a half to three hours, and one called it an odyssey. Last entry is 5:30 p.m. and the Museum closes at 7 p.m., so an entry after 5 p.m. gives you less than two hours.
Want the timing handled? The All Access day books your Museum and Observatory entries for you.
Check dates for the All Access 9/11 ExperienceHow long do you need at the 9/11 Memorial?
Thirty minutes to an hour to walk around both pools and the Survivor Tree.
On a guided walk, the plaza is woven into a longer route that includes St. Paul's Chapel and the FDNY Memorial Wall.
What is the best time of day to visit?
Morning: guests report the Museum is calmest early in the day.
Book an early timed entry and do the Museum first, then the plaza. The pools stay open until 8 p.m. and grow quieter after the Museum closes.
Which days should you avoid?
Tuesdays, when the Museum is closed most weeks, and September 11, when the plaza is reserved for families during the ceremony.
Hours also change around the anniversary: one guest found the Museum closing early on September 10. Monday evenings bring the free-admission crowd from 5:30 p.m.
Morning start, skip-the-line Museum, then the view: the All Access day in one booking.
Explore the All Access 9/11 Experience Tour detailsWhat are the security and bag rules?
Expect airport-style screening, and keep bags to 19 x 17 x 8 inches or smaller.
Coat rooms store belongings for the length of your visit. Large or jogging strollers are not allowed inside, food and drink are only allowed in the cafe, and once you leave you cannot go back in.
Can you take photos inside the 9/11 Museum?
Yes in most areas, for personal use and without flash, but not in the historical exhibition or where signs say no.
On the Memorial plaza, personal photos are fine; please be mindful of people who have come to visit a name. Nothing may be thrown or placed into the pools.
What should you see if time is short?
Foundation Hall with the Last Column and the slurry wall, and the historical exhibition.
Guests also recommend the short films in the side galleries. The audio guide ($11) helps you prioritize if you are visiting without a guide.
What does a good half-day plan look like?
Guided walk first, the Museum next, then One World Observatory: about five hours in all.
That is the order of the All Access day, and guests say ending at the top helps after the Museum. Adding the view? See One World Observatory and the 9/11 Memorial.
Ready to plan the day? Check dates for the All Access 9/11 Experience.
Check dates for the All Access 9/11 ExperienceFrequently asked questions
Is 2 hours enough for the 9/11 Museum?
Just about, if you focus on Foundation Hall and the historical exhibition. Most guests spend two to three hours.
What time does the 9/11 Museum close?
At 7 p.m., Wednesday to Monday, with last entry at 5:30 p.m. It is closed on most Tuesdays.
Can you leave and come back to the 9/11 Museum?
No. Once you exit through the main public exit, you cannot re-enter on the same ticket.
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Choose your visit
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
All Access 9/11: Ground Zero Tour, Museum & Observatory
- Guided Ground Zero walk: the Oculus, FDNY Memorial Wall, Survivor Tree and the Memorial pools
- A local guide who shares a personal connection to 9/11
- Skip-the-line timed entry to the 9/11 Museum (self-guided; a docent-led VIP option is available)
9/11 Memorial Museum Admission Ticket
- Timed admission to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, sold by the museum itself
- Stay as long as you like once inside; no re-entry after you leave
- Guided tour and audio guide available as paid extras
9/11 Memorial & Ground Zero Walking Tour
- Guided walk of Ground Zero with a guide who has a personal connection to 9/11
- St. Paul's Chapel (outside), FDNY Memorial Wall and Ten House, Survivor Tree, Memorial pools
- Small group: a maximum of 15 travelers
