The museum's opening ceremony will begin Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. with a musical interlude, followed by the dedication at 10 a.m., Smithsonian officials announced. While there will be no admission to the grounds of the museum, the public is invited to watch the ceremony from the grounds of the Washington Monument.

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The museum will open following the ceremony from about 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday, Sept. 25.

Timed tickets are intended to alleviate wait times for the public, officials said, and they will be required for visitors to gain entry. They will be available through the museum's website and by phone. They will come in 15-minute intervals for entry; there is no limit on how much time a visitor spends once inside the museum.

Officials won't say how many tickets will be made available each day. They will be in use indefinitely, officials said. Starting Monday, Sept. 26, four timed passes per visitor can be obtained in person at the museum for the same-day visit. The passes will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis by the museum's Visitor Services staff, starting at 9:15 a.m.

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The weekend celebration will cause major road closures and traffic near the National Mall. Constitution Avenue will be closed from 12th Street to 18th Street in both directions. In addition, 15th Street will be closed from Pennsylvania Avenue to Maine Avenue and 14th Street from Pennsylvania to Independence avenues. Both Madison and Jefferson Drives will be closed from Seventh St. to 15th streets. There will be no public or bus parking, and visitors are encouraged to take Metro.

Security screening will be set up at several access points. Among the prohibited items are glass containers or soda cans, folding chairs and tables, hard-shelled coolers, tripods and bicycles.