Walk, Museum and Observatory, Close Up
The 9/11 Memorial Tour with Museum and One World Entry Options is the same guided walk from L’Arte del Gelato with a third layer on top: the Full Access options add a timed museum ticket and a One World Observatory ticket, and the guide goes up to the observatory with the group. The walk alone is 1.5 to 2.5 hours; the museum and the observatory add about an hour each. It is wheelchair accessible.
What happens, stop by stop
The outdoor portion is large, and the listing asks for comfortable shoes. Security is passed twice on the full options, once at the museum and once at the observatory, and the museum’s timed windows must be kept.
- Meet at L’Arte del Gelato.
- The Oculus, about 15 minutes.
- The memorial pools and the Survivor Tree, about 75 minutes, with the names on the parapets and the Memorial Glade close by.
- The museum, about 1 hour, on the Full Access options: self-guided with skip-the-line entry, or with a museum docent on the VIP option.
- The One World Trade Center lobby, self-guided, including the “Voices” film, then the Sky Pod elevators to One World Observatory on floors 100 to 102, 1,268 feet up, about 1 hour. The guide accompanies the group into the observatory.
- Drop-off at the memorial.
One World Trade Center stands 1,776 feet to the tip of its spire, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere; the observatory opened on 28 May 2015. The observatory page covers its separate security and date-specific tickets.
Where it starts
L’Arte del Gelato, a short walk from the memorial, as the listing prints it; the confirmation gives the exact spot. The route ends back at the memorial, so the day can continue at St. Paul’s Chapel or Battery Park from there. What to see nearby lists both.
The options
Memorial Tour Only is the walk with nothing ticketed. Full Access is the walk, a timed museum ticket and an observatory ticket, with the guide going up to the observatory. Full Access with VIP guided museum tour adds a museum docent for the hour underground. Museum tickets are timed and observatory tickets are date-specific, so the day is fixed once booked.
Included
- An expert local guide for the memorial walk
- Skip-the-line museum entry on the Full Access options
- A self-guided visit to the One World Trade Center lobby, with the “Voices” film
- One World Observatory entry, with the guide accompanying the group
Not included
- Food and drink
- Room for large bags at either security point
- The museum audio guide
- Anything ticketed on the Memorial Tour Only option
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits a visitor with one day for the whole site who wants all three layers in one booking: the plaza explained, the museum below and the view above. It is wheelchair accessible. Wim from Belgium found that the time passed quickly across the full route.
It is a long day on foot, and the listing says so. A visitor who wants the walk and the museum without the view has the Ground Zero walk from the same meeting point. A visitor who wants the view but not the museum has the memorial and observatory walk. A group that wants a capped size has the small-group walk, which is not wheelchair accessible.
What reviewers mention
Jade from the UK writes that the guide was there on the day itself. Conni from the US mentions personal references and lifelong memories of New York. Richard from the Netherlands says a difficult part of history was explained in a personal, engaging way. Deanne from the US found the guide well informed.
Wim from Belgium describes respect with some humour, and says the time passed quickly. Karyn from the UK mentions that the guide watched the extreme heat and kept everyone comfortable.
In its favour
- All three layers on one booking
- The guide goes up to the observatory with the group
- Skip-the-line museum entry on the full options
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Worth knowing
- Two security checks on the full options
- Observatory tickets are date-specific; the day cannot be moved once booked
- A large outdoor portion, then two indoor hours
- Large bags cannot be brought on the route
Security at the observatory can take a while in high season, and the museum keeps its timed windows. Water and a layer for the museum’s 68 to 72°F cover the indoor hours; visitor rules lists what stays outside.
Two alternatives
No museumNYC: 9/11 Memorial Tour and Optional Observatory Ticket
From City Hall9/11 Memorial Tour with Optional Museum and One World Access
Frequently asked questions
Does the guide go into the observatory?
Yes. On the Full Access options the guide accompanies the group into One World Observatory. Inside the museum, visitors go through on their own or with a museum docent on the VIP option.
How long does the full option take?
The walk is 1.5 to 2.5 hours; the museum and the observatory add about an hour each, so plan on a half day. How long it takes sets the layers out.
Can the observatory part be moved to another day?
No. Observatory tickets are date- and time-specific. Cancellation of the whole booking is free up to 24 hours before. The observatory page has the rules for all three walks that offer it.
Is there a version from City Hall?
Yes. The City Hall walk offers the same three layers from Warren Street and Broadway, with Trinity Church and the FDNY Ten House on the route.