re: 9/11 Museum Gift Shop getting heat. Agree or disagree?

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$24 to get into something paid for with tax dollars is ridiculous

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Their annual operating expenses are like $60M. The $24/pp would need it to be one of the top 10-15 most visited museums in the world in order for it to break-even every year. Expect that $24 to double rather quickly.

None of that money is paying for the capital injection the government fronted to build it.

What's wrong with a gift shop? We are supposed to be capitalists in theory even if we are far form it in practice now-a-days. This is a patriotic museum, what's more patriotic than capitalism?

The Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum also has a gift store. Most places like this do to help with the upkeep of the memorial etc... Arlington Cemetery has one, as well.

I don't see the big deal if folks like the memorials and museums dedicated to remembering the event. They need to understand that it takes money to run those outfits, assuming that's where the gift store money is going and I would assume that to be the case. Admissions and donations may not cover those costs.

I don't really know why anyone would want a t-shirt memorializing such events, but some do.

I went to the OK memorial with some folks. It was creepy and morbid. I wouldn't go again and I don't want to go to the 9-11 site either. Too morbid for me.

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They sunk to a new low with some of their trinkets...

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ISWYDT

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I don't see the big deal if folks like the memorials and museums dedicated to remembering the event. They need to understand that it takes money to run those outfits, assuming that's where the gift store money is going and I would assume that to be the case. Admissions and donations may not cover those costs.

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I oversee admissions and tours where I work; admissions barely make a dent in the overall operations of the museum. My department ends in a deficit every year for what it actually takes to put it on, and that's only my department. There are at least 7 other departments here.

Do you have a gift shop and, if so, where do the profits from that go?

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Do you have a gift shop and, if so, where do the profits from that go?

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Yes, to support our operations. I don't oversee that department so I"m not sure if it ends with a surplus or deficit at the end of the year. But they process all admissions for my department.

I could understand how some may be upset, but only if the gift shop is selling items that do not properly convey the mission of the museum. Very rarely do you find a museum that operates for profit. We're all just trying to come close to breaking even as possible.

Onion had a story on this too:

LINK

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Depends on the level of looting realism.

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Depicting looting would be hard to do in a snow globe. Sounds like a challenge.

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9/11 Museum Gift Shop getting heat. Agree or disagree?

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Agree, especially if I can get a Jenga game that looks like the WTC. 'Murica!

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I could understand how some may be upset, but only if the gift shop is selling items that do not properly convey the mission of the museum. Very rarely do you find a museum that operates for profit. We're all just trying to come close to breaking even as possible.

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I agree and for those who think a memorial doesn't cost money, most do.

I feel for the families and I would agree with them if there are any inappropriate things being sold. However, I would wager a guess that the families like the memorial and museum. Takes money to build and to run and I, personally, am not interesting in paying for those with my tax dollars. A small monument is enough.