Some family members of 9/11 victims are furious over the steep admission fee that's being proposed for the National September 11 Memorial Museum, set to open this fall. To help foot the $60 million annual cost of running the museum, City Council members are floating the idea of charging either a mandatory admission fee, or a "suggested donation," of up to $25. "I think it's very crude," says New York City Fire Department Deputy Chief Jim Riches, who lost his son in the attacks. Is this really such a bad idea?
Yes. This is profane and offensive: "We wanted a simple, beautiful memorial," says Sally Regenhard, who lost her son in the attacks, as quoted by Reuters. "What we have here is something the families never asked for." Charging an admission fee tarnishes what should be a sacred site. "This is not the Metropolitan Museum of Art," says Riches. "It's supposed to be a memorial."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.