After over 15 years, the 9/11 Tribute Museum located on Greenwich Street in Manhattan will close its doors to the public Wednesday and transition to a fully online educational resource, the museum said in a statement Tuesday.

Amid sharp decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, operating the physical museum became financially untenable, co-founder and CEO of the 9/11 Tribute Museum Jennifer Adams said.

“Financial hardship including lost revenue caused by the pandemic prevents us from generating sufficient funding to continue to operate the physical museum,” Adams said in a statement

Started in 2006 by the nonprofit September 11th Families’ Association, the museum is located just blocks from the site of the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

The majority of the Tribute Museum’s physical collection is being moved to the New York State Museum in Albany. 

The Tribute Museum's online presence will to continue provide educational resources and support for the 9/11 community, the museum said, although its hallmark Tribute Guided Walking Tour program — led by the Tribute Museum's 9/11 community of survivors, first responders, residents and family members — will cease operations as well.

The museum says it has hosted over five million visitors from 141 different countries and has given over 500,000 guided tours during its 15-year run.

In March of 2022, museum leadership called upon elected officials to intervene as it warned the public it faced permanent closure without immediate financial assistance.