9/11 Museum Considers Admission Fee

Gretchen Dykstra, the chief executive officer of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, said yesterday that the World Trade Center memorial museum, scheduled to open on September 11, 2009, should charge an admission fee since it will cost more than $40-million a year to operate the museum and memorial complex, The New York Times reports.

Ms. Dykstra’s suggestion was supported by Michael Bloomberg, the city’s mayor, who said the city could not afford to pay for the museum and memorial complex’s operating costs. But Alan J. Gerson, a city councilman, disagreed and told foundation officials that an admission fee was a bad idea. Ms. Dykstra said the foundation board has not yet come to a decision on the issue.