9/11 memorial is open, but tickets are booked until mid-October

If you’re hoping to see the newly opened National September 11 Memorial anytime soon, be patient. Thousands of people have already made reservations in the coming weeks to view the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan that officially opened Sunday during an emotional ceremony.

Two reflecting pools -- one in each footprint of the original towers -- two waterfalls, more than 400 trees and of course the names of the nearly 3,000 who perished in the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks are etched in bronze panels surrounding the pools.

Visiting the memorial is free but advance tickets for a specific time and date are required. As of Monday morning, the next available date for passes is Oct. 18. The memorial restricts the number of visitors to about 1,500 at a time.

The memorial’s website details what to know before you go.

--Visitors should expect to be screened by magnetometers or even patted down. Anything you bring (and there are restrictions on what you can bring inside) will be X-rayed or hand-checked.

--Tribute items may be brought in and placed near the pools or the inscribed names (nothing is to be thrown into the pools, however).

The memorial is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends and holidays. Last entry is at 7 p.m., and winter hours go into effect Jan. 9.

Another good place to stop is the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site (20 Vesey St.) to check out future plans and models for the museum, set to open next year.