USA: The National September 11 Memorial Museum opens to the public amid conflicting feelings surrounding its gift shop, which some say sells overpriced items that are in poor taste, and which others say is necessary

Record ID: 694990

  • Title: USA: The National September 11 Memorial Museum opens to the public amid conflicting feelings surrounding its gift shop, which some say sells overpriced items that are in poor taste, and which others say is necessary
  • Date: 21st May 2014
  • Summary: INTERNET (MAY 21, 2014) (REUTERS) WEB PAGE SHOWING 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM'S ONLINE GIFT STORE WEB PAGE SCROLLING TO A $95 (USD) WOOL SCARF WEB PAGE SHOWING VARIOUS ITEMS FOR SALE AND THEN CLICKING ON A ORNAMENT WORTH $40 WEB PAGE SHOWING VARIOUS PLUSH STUFFED DOGS PRICED AT $19.95
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVACBKQ3NWY78NK4708DOO4VD2XZ
  • Story Text: A museum memorializing the September 11, 2001 attacks opened Wednesday (May 21) to the public with a somber flag ceremony and amidst some criticism over its gift shop, that some people believe symbolizes 'crash commercialism'.
    To mark the public opening of the National September 11 Memorial Museum, the National 9/11 Flag, donated by the New York Says Thank You Foundation, was unfurled in a ceremony at the Memorial Plaza in downtown Manhattan.
    New York Police Department (NYPD), Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and other city officials unfurled the flag, which according to museum organizers, represents 200 years of American history. Later, memorial visitors, including many children, surrounded and held the flag.
    The flag was flying from a building near the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001, when it was grievously damaged by the airplane strikes. It was later retrieved and as part of a comprehensive flag project, was pieced together in patches by people across the United States who were touched by other disasters and tragedies. It now also includes three threads from the original Star Spangled Banner.
    Soon after the flag ceremony, visitors queued to visit the memorial museum, which displays a wide range of artifacts -- from mangled columns recalling the enormity of that fateful day to shattered eyeglasses recalling its personal pain. Visitors can listen to telephone messages left to loved ones by those who would die in the towers, and cockpit recordings from the doomed airplanes.
    But it's the gift shop of the museum that is causing controversy. One section of people think it's unfair to sell memorabilia at the site of such a great tragedy. Others had issue with the price tags of some of the items, such as a wool scarf pegged at $95 (USD). The wide range of items on sale includes a 'Survivor Tree' ornament for $40 and plush dog toys for $19.95. Categories include apparel, books, gifts, paper goods, personal accessories and DVDs.

    "Basically you're profiting off the death of 2,000 people plus who were just doing their normal thing that day. They were killed by people who were out to kill them. And someone's making money. Now, granted probably the proceeds will help pay for upkeep and all. I can understand that. It just seems like there could be a different way to do it," said Dwain Avance, a visitor from Texas.

    "I don't think it's a good idea for people to make money off the memorial. It's a tribute to the people who were killed here. And I just think that would cheapen the value of the memorial as a whole. And we want to think about the people, not about souvenirs or making money or anything like that," said Helen Hatfield, also from Texas.
    Museum organizers have argued that the money from the gift shop is needed to fund the maintenance of the 9/11 memorial and museum and that the organization is a not-for-profit that is receiving no federal or city funds.
    Some visitors agree with the need to help fund the museum with profits from the gift shop.

    "If it's to support the museum, I think it's excellent. Anything to keep the memory alive of everyone who lost their lives," said Lisa Berge, whose close friend Kevin Cleary died during the WTC attacks.
    Carolyn Deters helped organize the nationwide tour of the National 9/11 flag. She didn't have any problem either with the concept of a gift shop at the 9/11 museum.

    "Gift shops are part of museums. People expect to be able to take something home with them as a momento. So I don't really see how you can have a museum without a gift shop. For me, it doesn't bother me to have a gift shop there. But I can understand why it does bother some people," she said.
    The museum, eight years in the making, was the subject of innumerable disputes over how best to document the day when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people.
    The museum helps to convey the events and emotions of September 11th by using audio such as telephone messages left to loved ones from those who would die in the towers, and cockpit recordings from the doomed planes.
    Some 35,000 people closely involved in creating the museum, including victims' relatives and U.S. President Barack Obama, got a first look at it on May 15th during its official dedication ceremony. The doors are now open to the public, with tickets priced at $24 (USD) for adults, $18 (USd) for seniors and students and $15 (USD) for youth between the ages of seven and seventeen.
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