People planning to visit the Sept. 11 memorial when it opens to the public following the 10th anniversary have snapped up all the tickets for the entire first week after it opens.
Tickets to the memorial are now available through an online reservation system that went live Monday.
More than 34,500 passes were reserved Monday by people all over the U.S. and world, the organization said. Every slot for Sept. 12 through Sept. 18 has been taken.
Timed reservations will be used for the memorial while construction continues on other World Trade Center projects over the next few years. Officials said the tightly-controlled system is designed to manage capacity and the flow of visitors while the site remains an active construction area.
It will "help ensure a safe and solemn experience for all," Mayor Bloomberg said in a statement.
The online ticketing system is located at www.911memorial.org/visitor-passes. Passes are free, but the form allows visitors to make donations when they reserve tickets.
Those who make reservations will receive an email confirmation and instructions to print their passes.
Joe Daniels, the 9/11 Memorial president, said tourists planning trips to New York City should make their plans now for a ground zero visit.
"Whether it is for September, October or Thanksgiving time, Christmas … by going online now they’ll be able to help figure out their itinerary and make a spot during their trip to come down and visit," Daniels told NBC New York.
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The memorial consists of two reflecting pools that evoke the footprints of the towers, which are each nearly an acre in size. They also feature the largest manmade waterfalls in North America.
The design was selected in 2004 and construction began in 2006.
The names of the victims from the 2001 attacks, along with those who died in the 1993 bombing, will be inscribed in bronze along the borders of the pools.
The memorial is on track to open Sept. 11, but only families and invited dignitaries will be allowed to visit on the 10th anniversary. Ticketed reservations begin the following day.
A separate hotline was established last week for 9/11 family members to reserve their own passes. Families can also reserve online. By Monday, families had reserved more than 1,000 passes.
Memorial officials are expected to limit the number of visitors to about 1,500 at a time.
Groups of 10 or more are asked to contact groups@911memorial.org or call 212-266-5200.
