The National September 11th Memorial and Museum will open later this year with no bathrooms, according to an article by Annie Karni in yesterday's edition of The New York Post.

Two large reflecting pools and cascading waterfalls on the 8-acre site are intended to create a serene environment for quiet contemplation of the lives lost during the terror attacks in 2011 but the article said "they may also be a frustrating reminder there's nowhere to relieve oneself."

"The closest bathrooms available will be inside the discount department store Century 21, across the wide 16-acre plaza on Cortlandt Street. Employees there fully expect a flood of visitors dashing to its basement-level stalls....City Hall officials conceded that bathrooms were left out of the plans for the memorial, which will feature the names of the 2,982 victims of the World Trade Center attacks inscribed on bronze panels around the reflecting pools. They said there are also no plans to haul porta-potties to the picturesque, tree-filled site for its official debut," the article said.

The article added that Bloomberg spokesman Andrew Brent said that "visitors will be provided with information to help plan their visit, including being advised that bathrooms will not be accessible on the site."

The article said that "memorial officials said that because visitors during the first few months will sign up in advance for a 'timed ticket' that gives them a pre-scheduled appointment to the plaza, they will have ample time to prepare."

The museum, which will reach seven stories underneath the memorial plaza, will have public toilets, according to City Hall, but is not scheduled to open until fall 2012.