The pandemic changed the world forever in 2020, and it continues to do so. As a consequence, CNN reported that some tourist attractions won’t be open in 2023. Or, if they do open, they will have a different appearance.
Exasperated by the lockdowns, people were eager to make up for lost, globetrotting time this year. Barring a pandemic resurgence, we can expect more of the same in 2023.
Here are some of the tourist attractions you may need to reconsider in 2023, according to CNN.
The 9/11 Tribute Museum- New York
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Ask any New Yorker who was old enough on September 11, 2001, and they’ll tell you they remember exactly what they were doing that terrible day.
This New Yorker was in her second week of high school when the principal said on the loud speaker, “there’s been an accident at the World Trade Center.” This was the widely held belief when the first plane hit.
In the place of the Twin Towers, is a memorial bearing the names of the 9/11 victims, and those who died in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It’s well worth visiting.
As noted by CNN, “before the National September 11 Memorial & Museum opened at Ground Zero, there was the 9/11 Tribute Museum,” which opened in 2006.
The Tribute museum closed this summer, due to financial troubles.
CNN reported, “although the museum’s physical presence is gone, the majority of its holdings are now part of the permanent collection at the New York State Museum in Albany, about 150 miles north of New York City.”
The Queen Mary Ship- California
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After providing passengers with luxury on the high seas, the Queen Mary “retired to Southern California in 1967.”
It became a place of leisure; offering hotel accommodations and a restaurant.
Unfortunately, the ship will require renovation work amounting to millions.
There is some good news where that is concerned, though. According to a Instagram post by Long Beach City, “we anticipate reopening sections of the ship by end of year.”
CNN explained, “in the meantime, the ship’s successor, the Queen Mary 2, is still in active service with the Cunard line.”
Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant- China
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The pandemic forced this massive restaurant, which attracted some A-list visitors like Queen Elizabeth II, to close its doors.
The woes of this vessel were only just beginning. Tourism took a nosedive, and the upkeep fees went through the roof.
There were plans for it to be sold, but they didn’t materialize.
Also, as reported by CNN, “the ship was en route to a southeast Asia shipyard when it sank near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.”
Dublin Writers' Museum, Ireland
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Ireland’s beauty has inspired creatives for centuries.
This museum in Dublin was supposed to be closed temporarily, but it never rebounded.
CNN reported that the announcement of permanent closure was given in August 2022.
Part of the announcement said, “the museum no longer meets the expectation of the contemporary museum visitor in terms of accessibility, presentation and interpretation.”
If you’re looking for another institution where Irish writers are celebrated, visit Museum of Literature Ireland.
Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
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Did you know that this is the largest bird park in all of Asia? Officials said it would be closing in August 2022, after 5 decades.
The good news is, it’s going to be part of a larger eco-tourism hub. A number of other wildlife parks in Singapore will be part of the hub, too.
The hub, which “could open as soon as 2023,” will be called Mandai.
The Underground Museum, Los Angeles
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This museum and cultural center in Bernal Heights, had “a reputation for championing work by artists of color.”
Some A- list celebrities tried to throw their weight behind the museum, including Beyonce and Tracee Ellis Ross.
But it wasn’t enough, and it closed this year.
One of the founders, Karon Davis, explained, “we simply do not have any answers right now. So, we will also be closing the museum until further notice. During this period, we encourage you to engage with the incredible art spaces all over our beloved Los Angeles.”
Train Street, Vietnam
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Unperturbed by the safety issues, tourists have been taking photos along Train Street in Hanoi for some time.
It’s a very “Instagrammable” spot.
CNN explained, “it became popular with tourists who liked the thrill of posing on the industrial tracks with coffee shops in touching distance.”
In 2022, the government “revoked the licenses of all businesses on Train Street and erected barricades.”
