1. The 9/11 Memorial Was Only Completely Opened in 2014

When the Memorial opened in 2011, passes were needed in advance and security screenings were performed on visitors looking to see the outdoor Memorial Plaza. From September 2011 to May 2014, the area was closed to the general public in that you couldn’t freely walk in and out of the plaza without a ticket. This was known as the “Interim operating period.” Since May 2014, the 9/11 Memorial is open daily and free of charge to the public from 7:30am to 9:00pm.
Next, check out 10 Remnants of the World Trade Center Still on Site, or go inside the National 9/11 Memorial Museum or discover 10 Powerful World Trade Center Artifacts and Memorials on Display in NYC