Long-Delayed 9/11 Museum Sets Opening Date in May

Officials with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum announced Monday that the long-awaited museum will open its doors to the public on May 21 after a six-day preview period for people directly affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Daily News report.

Initially planned to open in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, the subterranean museum was set back for years by political disputes over funding and damage from Hurricane Sandy. Some 9/11 victims’ families have criticized its $24 admission fee, which project officials maintain is necessary to cover its $63-million operating budget in the absence of funding from New York City or the federal government.

The museum will feature exhibitions telling the stories of the nearly 3,000 people killed on 9/11 and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and examining the circumstances and aftermath of Sept. 11, 2011. Survivors, families of the dead, first responders, and Lower Manhattan residents and merchants will be offered round-the-clock access by reservation during the six-day dedication period.