Wanna visit the 9/11 museum...$24?

[KFC911]

For some reason this just doesn't seem appropriate to me. I have NO doubt that this critical piece of US history could have been fully funded and maintained by private donations, etc. so why the "excessive" (imo) entry fee? I'd prefer it to be like some of our memorials/museums in DC, and have no "cost of entry" thus being available to all for free. Maybe I'm mi$$ing $omething, but I don't think $o...just my .02 worth. Discuss...

[Rusty914s]

Your hopes are that some rich person subsidizes your experience?

How welfare of you.

[scottmandue]

I work at a museum and I agree that all museum should be free... being that I am in the biz I have worked at and visited museum all over the country and all I can tell you is the Smithsonian is the exception not the norm, 90% of museums charge for entrance.

[GH85Carrera]

The Oklahoma City bombing museum charges $12 for an adult.

The government does not pay a penny for the operation of the museum except the Park Rangers at the outdoor free memorial area. The museum charges for the cost of running the place. From the pictures I have seen of the 9-11 memorial it is very similar, just a much bigger scale. If you go I would suggest you bring tissues, it will be very moving and emotional.

I see no reason for the City of NYC or any government agency to pay for the 9-11 memorial. I just hope the staff are not paid huge salaries. They need a reasonable paycheck.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I see no reason for the City of NYC or any government agency to pay for the 9-11 memorial. I just hope the staff are not paid huge salaries. They need a reasonable paycheck.

I make a whopping $45K a year!

Our museum is free... but we are blessed with being in downtown Los Angeles and being surrounded by the uber rich folk who drop big checks to have their names displayed in various location around the building.

People were giving me a hard time about the state/city paying for the space shuttle... nope... moving, storage, the new building all paid for with donations.

As a professional courtesy I can flash my business and get into most museums... I never do that... I figure the price of admission is my donation to the institution, if I care enough to go see an exhibit I care enough to support them.

And as an insider let me tell you wouldn't believe the things we have to fix/repair/clean/put up with because of stupid people... I can also tell you free museums get a lot more vandalism that pay per entrance museums.

[scottmandue]

Long story short, as Glen said there is an insane amount on maintenance to a museum, need to have a plumber to keep all the bathrooms and water fountains running, need a custodial crew to keep the place clean, need a crew of full time museum nerds (me) to keep all the A/V stuff running, and so on.

[stealthn]

Watching the dedication right now on TV, very moving.....

I would pay that without question to visit the memorial....

[GH85Carrera]

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum charges $12.50 for an adult. It is a cool place with some great art. The gun collection is really nice.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Rusty914s

Your hopes are that some rich person subsidizes your experience?

How welfare of you.

This post isn't about "me", and you're simply wrong.

Originally Posted by stealthn

Watching the dedication right now on TV, very moving.....

I would pay that without question to visit the memorial....

Me too...I'd just hope that NO one is denied because of lack of funds for this "special" musuem. (i.e. I can foresee families, etc. that will pass on it simply due to cost).

Thank you Scott for your "insider" perspective!

[Rusty914s]

What do you mean this isn't about you? You may want to go and Reread your first post.

If I were to follow your logic, the masses would only be exposed to what the rich are willing to let you see..scary for sure.

A Museum is just like any other non-profit organization, fighting for dollars in order to keep lights on.

NYC is expensive, there is nothing else to say.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by KC911

....I have NO doubt that this critical piece of US history could have been fully funded and maintained by private donations, etc...

It is funded by private donations, $24.00's minimum per donor.

[aschen]

$24 seems excessive to me

I don't mind fees for museums, but I don't think they should be aggressively priced. I am not sure of the economics though.

100$ is quite a lot for a family of 4, if they are only of moderate means. Idealistically, I dont really think it should be a financial compromise to take your family to this sort of things.

Houston museums are all quite expensive. They good news is they usually have one day per week where discounts are heavy. I don't know how the special attractions work but sometimes they are 30$ or more. The "bodies" series are always expensive. I guess these are for profit?

[KFC911]

It was not my intent to start a pi$$ing contest with this thread, so I apologize. I've visited "the city" many times....so I sorta know what it's like to "play" there .

I just hope this "non profit" (like many are) isn't simply a $ grab for the powers that be.

My intent on starting this thread was that I hope NO ONE who wishes to pay their respects and learn more about the fallen and the heroes of that historical day are denied because of what I "percieve" to be a pretty high cost of entry...that is all.
I was truly thinking about "others", not about "me" at all when I started this...I'd pay any amount to visit but I'd hope that anyone who desired to pay their respects and learn, etc. would be able to do so also. Carry on...

[zipinitaly]

I work in the Smithsonian, it's great that it's free. BUT running a museum isn't cheap!

The museums books should be public record, if the museum is publicly funded. There aren't too many free museums out there...the one Crystal Bridges in Branson MO is free, always will be, paid for by Wal-Mart.

[june82000]

Originally Posted by zipinitaly

I work in the Smithsonian, it's great that it's free.

It's not free...

That's like saying roads, bridges, tunnels, welfare, etc. are all free.

I guess that if you don't pay taxes then it would be free.

[TechnoViking]

It's New York. Parking is probably more than $24.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by TechnoViking

It's New York. Parking is probably more than $24.

Per hour.

The Dealy Plaza JFK Museum here in Dallas is $16.00 per adult.

Yeah $24 is a bit steep but as noted, it's NYC. It's not cheap for anyone to do business there.

[intakexhaust]

I'm seeing something bigger. Totally agree with some sort of memorial but not a $100mil Taj Mahal with a $10mil cost per year in security. This is really a designed business, tourist destination based on the deaths of others.

A 'free' standing monument would have been just fine.

[Rusty914s]

KC911, I'm sorry if I came across as aggressive.

I guess that my point; take some of the most valuable land on earth and put a museum on it...that in itself becomes a very expensive issue.

In NYC, a museum director will cost you a minimum of 4-500k a year, a large administrative staff along with lower end stuff and it all goes down from there. Grantors love sexy and this museum isn't, MOCA, LACMA, etc...pure sex, 9/11M, not so much.

The cost of keeping the doors open is staggering, 24 dollars probably covers your first 2 minutes there, the rest is subsidize through donations.

I had the great pleasure of having a hard hat tour of the space a few months back...awesome experience.

That's all. YMMV.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Rusty914s

KC911, I'm sorry if I came across as aggressive.

.....I had the great pleasure of having a hard hat tour of the space a few months back...awesome experience.

That's all. YMMV.

Hey, no problem Rusty...no apology necessary but I do appreciate where you're coming from. I still remember my first visit to "the city" as a broke a$$ college freshman decades ago...knocking around Queens with a buddy who grew up there, and it's the "locals" (many who probably aren't as fortunate as most on this board) who I was thinking of when I started this thread. My last visit to NYC was just a few months before 9/11 attending some rock 'n roll shows less than a mile from the site. Alas...in all my trips there, I never ventured down to the financial district so I never saw the towers first hand except from the air....my loss. This memorial/musuem will be the VERY first place I visit upon my return, and I suspect it's risen to the top of the "must do" list for many tourists and locals alike...as it should be.

I remember when Ted Turner was worth 3 billion and donated 1 billion to the United Nations. I hope some ultra-rich billionaire steps up and makes a similar gesture to the 9/11 memorial/museum so all Americans will have the wonderful opportunity that you had. I suspect there are many who will never share the "awesome experience" you were privledged to simply due to the cost and that's unfortunate imo. I sure hope they offer "discount days", etc. or somehow make this "special space" accessible to everyone some way, some how. Thanks again!