7 Best National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tickets (2025 Reviews)

Although it seems so far away, 9/11 is a vivid memory for my parents. How they talk about where they were that day and what they remember is their generation’s John F Kennedy assassination moment.

When you buy 9/11 Memorial & Museum tickets, you’re purchasing more than just entry passes; you’re connecting with one of the most powerful chapters in New York City’s story. It has left an indelible mark on the city and our country.

Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning because it was too much to take in the first time, this experience stays with you.

And while the memorial itself offers a solemn, grounded reflection, many visitors find deeper perspective by pairing it with an NYC Underground Tour that explores the hidden layers of the city, or a Night Helicopter Ride that lets you quietly take in Manhattan’s glow from above. All these tours give very different views of what makes this city unforgettable.

Below, you’ll find timed entry tickets, guided Ground Zero walks, and thoughtful all-access tours.

We’ve compared our top 3 picks in detail. See my full reviews, key inclusions, and where to book.

Top 3: National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tickets

Quick View: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Tickets

Tour 1: NYC: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Timed-Entry Ticket
Tour 2: Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour & Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket
Tour 3: New York City: 9/11 Ground Zero All Access Tour
Tour 4: 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket
Tour 5: 9/11 Memorial Museum Admission Ticket
Tour 6: NYC City Tour: Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street
Tour 7: NYC: Ground Zero Walking Tour and 9/11 Museum Ticket

9/11 Memorial Museum Tickets (2025 Reviews)

Tour 1: NYC: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Timed-Entry Ticket

✅ Meeting Point: 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: Timed-entry slots throughout the day
✅ Duration: 1 to 2 hours
✅ Guide: Self-guided, exhibits in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Timed-entry admission, access to all exhibitions and galleries, survivor tree, reflecting pools

I wasn’t sure how it would feel walking through a museum dedicated to something so recent, so raw.

But the moment I stepped into the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the world outside just… paused.

No tour guide. No group chatter. Just quiet rustling of people experiencing stories that hit hard and stay with you.

Entering with a timed ticket keeps the experience personal. You’re not crammed in. You have space to read, to reflect, to breathe.

The first thing that caught me was the sheer silence.

Even in a city that’s never quiet, here it is.

The remnants of steel beams. Voicemails. Shoes. Names carved into the memorial pools outside that ripple softly in the breeze. It all adds up to something you feel more than you see.

We booked the NYC: 9/11 Memorial & Museum Timed-Entry Ticket in advance, and honestly, I wouldn’t do it any other way. The skip-the-line benefit matters. So does knowing you’ll have time to take it in on your own terms.

There are no flashy extras. No tour guide. No add-ons. And it just feels as it should.

This one’s for anyone who wants to experience the weight of Ground Zero respectfully and without distraction.

---

More New York City Tours

---

Tour 2: Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Tour & Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

✅ Meeting Point: St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM daily
✅ Duration: 90 minutes (2.5 hours with museum add-on)
✅ Guide: Live guide in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Guided Ground Zero tour, access to St. Paul’s Chapel, optional timed-entry to 9/11 Museum

This one starts quietly. Outside the small, worn stone of St. Paul’s Chapel, somehow still standing after the towers fell was an amazing meditative start. Our guide, a lifelong New Yorker, didn’t launch into a scripted monologue. He paused. Let the group settle. Then started telling real stories that felt lived-in, not rehearsed.

You’ll walk through Ground Zero with someone who was there. Or someone who knew someone. Either way, it’s real.

I noticed people wiping their eyes more than once.

The tour weaved through the plaza and along the edges of the pools with the names etched there like whispers. What hit hardest wasn’t the scale. It was the humanity that spoke to me. The “missing” posters still on display. The firehouse across the street. The silence our group held as we stood at the Survivor Tree.

We added on the museum ticket afterward, and I’d suggest you do the same. But even if you don’t, the 90-minute walk feels complete anchored in human voices, not just headlines.

If you want a thoughtful way to understand what happened, what changed, and what continues, this tour is for you.

Tour 3: New York City: 9/11 Ground Zero All Access Tour

✅ Meeting Point: St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:00 PM options
✅ Duration: 2.5 hours
✅ Guide: Live guide in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Ground Zero tour, 9/11 Museum ticket, One World Observatory entry (optional)

The view is spectacular at the top of One World Observatory. But it’s also reflective. Because you’ve just walked the path below. Heard the stories. Seen the void.

This tour covers the full arc. From the quiet resilience of St. Paul’s Chapel to the museum’s haunting artifacts, and finally to that open-sky view that feels like a promise.

It begins with a deep, guided walk through Ground Zero. Our guide was sharp, kind, and clearly passionate. He didn’t just narrate the facts. He gave us stories. Details from survivors. A firefighter’s name. A handwritten note. He let us feel the weight of the moment without ever making it feel overwhelming.

When we stepped into the museum, the pace was ours to set. You’ll want to linger. It’s sobering. Beautiful. Complex.

Then the elevator ride to the top of One World Observatory. It’s optional, but I wouldn’t skip it.

We booked the New York City: 9/11 Ground Zero All Access Tour to make sure we saw it all including the guided tour, museum, and the skyline view. It ended up being the most complete, moving experience of the three tours.

For anyone who wants the full picture from street level to sky, this is the one.

Tour 4: 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket

✅ Meeting Point: St. Peter’s Church, 22 Barclay St, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: Multiple options, typically morning and early afternoon
✅ Duration: 90 minutes (walking tour), 2.5+ hours with museum add-on
✅ Guide: Live guide in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Walking tour of Ground Zero, expert commentary, optional timed-entry to 9/11 Museum

You start beneath the trees near St. Peter’s Church, just far enough from the crowds to hear your guide without leaning in.

This walking tour moves slowly and methodically by design. You stop often, aware of the space and surroundings. And little by little, the scope of what happened here becomes less abstract.

There was something grounding about hearing personal stories in a place so heavy with memory. Our guide balanced history and emotion with real skill. She didn’t dramatize, she kept her tone solemn and heartfelt. One moment we were looking at the FDNY Ten House, and the next, she was telling us about a childhood friend lost that day.

The group was a mix of solo travelers, a couple from Spain, and two teens with their parents. I could see how it landed with everyone differently.

We chose not to add the museum ticket this time (we’d been before), but a few in the group did, and it felt like a natural next step after the tour ended at the reflecting pools.

The 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero Tour with Optional 9/11 Museum Ticket is a great choice if you want something thoughtful but not overwhelming—a way to understand, process, and walk away with more than just photos.

Tour 5: 9/11 Memorial Museum Admission Ticket

✅ Meeting Point: 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: Reserved entry slots available every 30 minutes
✅ Duration: Flexible — average stay is 2 hours
✅ Guide: Self-guided; exhibitions in English with multimedia support
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Timed-entry ticket to museum, access to all permanent and temporary exhibitions

Sometimes, you don’t want a tour guide. You want space.

That’s what this museum ticket gives you. Quiet entry. A fixed time slot. And then freedom to move through the space as slowly as you need.

Inside, it’s not just photos and timelines. It’s steel and ash and stillness. It’s last words left on voicemails. It’s shoes. Fire helmets. Children’s drawings. You’ll feel the hush of the exhibition hall the moment the escalator descends.

The layout flows from the events of the day into the aftermath, with rooms dedicated to victims, responders, and the changing face of New York. The “In Memoriam” room is particularly hard to leave.

We booked the 9/11 Memorial Museum Admission Ticket on a weekday morning and found it surprisingly uncrowded. Timed entry really helps. If you want a moment to yourself with these stories, it’s worth choosing an off-peak slot.

Much like the other tours, this one gives a visit that stays with you because of the quiet dignity in how it’s presented.

No extras. No fluff. Just a place to remember.

Tour 6: NYC City Tour: Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street

✅ Meeting Point: Outside Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park
✅ Departure Time: Morning departures, typically 8:30 AM
✅ Duration: 5 hours
✅ Guide: Live guide in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Walking tour, ferry access to Liberty Island, Statue of Liberty Monument access, visit to 9/11 Memorial (museum not included), Wall Street area tour

If you’re short on time but still want to take in some of Manhattan’s most powerful landmarks, this combo tour really delivers.

It starts early in Battery Park, where you meet your guide and head out on the ferry to Liberty Island. Being up close with the Statue of Liberty is one of those pinch-yourself travel moments even if you’ve seen it a dozen times in movies, the real thing feels bigger, more personal.

After that, there’s a short walk through Wall Street’s historic district. And then, the tempo slows.

You end the experience at the 9/11 Memorial.

No museum entry here but you’ll stand at the reflecting pools, walk the plaza, and hear about the events of that day from someone who knows the ground. It’s not as in-depth as a full Ground Zero tour, but it’s enough to shift the tone. You go from grandeur to grief and then, maybe, a quiet kind of resolve.

We chose the NYC City Tour: Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street because it combined our top three sites in one half-day window. It’s a lot but thoughtfully paced.

Ideal if you’re visiting NYC for the first time, or just want to see more without losing the heart of it all.

Tour 7: NYC: Ground Zero Walking Tour and 9/11 Museum Ticket

✅ Meeting Point: St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
✅ Departure Time: Multiple departures daily, typically morning and early afternoon
✅ Duration: 2.5 hours (90-minute tour + museum entry)
✅ Guide: Live guide in English
✅ Free Cancellation: Yes — cancel up to 24 hours in advance
✅ Includes: Ground Zero walking tour, professional guide, timed 9/11 Museum entry

This tour gives you both: the human voice and the quiet aftermath.

It begins with a 90-minute guided walk through Ground Zero and the memorial area, where your guide shares stories that blend history, remembrance, and personal connection. Ours was gentle but commanding. Someone who knew when to pause, when to speak, and when to just let the city’s silence do the work.

We walked through the plaza, stood before the Survivor Tree, and paused at the reflecting pools as names were read aloud from a nearby audio installation. It’s not scripted. It feels alive.

After the tour, you’re given your timed-entry ticket to the 9/11 Museum and that’s when the real introspection begins.

The guide doesn’t go in with you, and that separation matters. You shift from shared emotion to personal reflection. It’s a smart design.

We booked the NYC: Ground Zero Walking Tour and 9/11 Museum Ticket on a breezy fall morning, and by the end, none of us were in a rush to leave.

This one blends structure with solitude and leaves room for both understanding and emotion.

FAQs (National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tickets 2025)

Is there a specific time I need to arrive for my 9/11 museum ticket?
Yes, tickets are timed-entry, so you’ll need to arrive at your designated slot. Entry is only guaranteed for that time window, so plan ahead. You can view exact timing details on the official museum site.

Where does the Ground Zero walking tour begin?
Most tours start outside St. Paul’s Chapel or St. Peter’s Church, both of which are located within a short walk of the memorial. Exact addresses are provided in your booking confirmation.

Can I visit the 9/11 Museum without joining a tour?
Absolutely. If you prefer a quiet, self-guided experience, you can book just the timed museum entry without the walking tour component. This option still includes access to all exhibitions.

Is the One World Observatory included in any of these tours?
Yes, the All Access Tour offers an upgrade that includes One World Observatory entry. It’s a powerful contrast to the memorial below, offering city views from the top of Freedom Tower.

Are these tours appropriate for children?
Yes, but with care. Most tours welcome children, but some content may be emotionally heavy. The museum and memorial include sensitive material, so parental discretion is advised.

Are the tours wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All memorial grounds, museum facilities, and the Statue of Liberty ferry are accessible. Be sure to notify the operator in advance if you have specific mobility needs.

What happens if it rains on the day of my tour?
Walking tours run in all weather. Bring an umbrella or rain jacket just in case. Museum portions are indoors and unaffected. You can check the local NYC weather forecast here.

Don’t Let Trip Surprises Cost You!

Medical emergencies abroad or flight cancellations can be costly. Stay protected with comprehensive travel insurance covering medical expenses, trip delays, lost baggage, and more.

Compare travel insurance plans quickly and get a free quote now! (USA Residents Only)
👉 Get a Quote with Squaremouth

How We Select the Best Tours & Products

At 501 Places, we carefully select tours & products based on quality, authenticity, traveler feedback, expert insights, and ethical standards.
👉 Learn more: How We Select the Best Tours & Products

501Places Shania Marks Ranking: New York City: 9/11 Ground Zero All Access Tour

501Places Reviewer’s Top Choice: New York City: 9/11 Ground Zero All Access Tour is the #1 Ranked Tour in National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tickets 2025.