The 9/11 Museum has won a top entertainment award alongside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter during a ceremony in Disneyland - angering victim 's families who claim officials have made Ground Zero a theme park , not a shrine . The Themed Entertainment Association honored the $ 700 million National September 11 Memorial & Museum with an award for 'Extraordinary Cultural Achievement ' , leaving relatives complaining it was more concerned with profit than the memory of their loved ones . The black-tie award ceremony was held in the Grand Ballroom at the Disneyland Hotel on Saturday and cost $ 520 to attend for non-members . A shrine : Families of those who died during 9/11 have said it is deeply inappropriate for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to accept an award for 'entertainment ' 'It 's totally outrageous that they would participate in this , ' said Jim Riches , a retired firefighter who lost his son , Jimmy on September 11 . Speaking to the New York Daily News , Riches said , 'It 's a moneymaking place for entertainment and they got an award for it . They 've made it into an amusement park . ' Furious , Riches said that Ground Zero is a place where almost 3,000 people died , not a theme park ride . ' I do n't think they should have sent somebody there to accept an award for a cemetery , ' Riches told CBS2 's Alice Gainer . 'It 's supposed to be a place that 's dignified and respectful where our loved ones are to be buried . It 's not the Metropolitan Museum . ' Deep emotions : Two people embrace during the opening ceremony of the National September 11 Memorial in May of 2014 . Deep significance : United States President Barack Obama speaks at the dedication ceremony for the National 9/11 Memorial Museum . Sacrifice of heroes : Destroyed Ladder Truck of FDNY Ladder Co. 3 is one of many exhibits on display at the 9/11 Museum . Honor Guards comprised of members of FDNY , NYPD , and PAPD entering the stage during the opening ceremony of the 9/11 Museum last year . Before the announcement the 9/11 Museum revealed it had welcomed two million visitors since opening last May , most of whom are charged $ 24 to view exhibits detailing the attack and the aftermath - culminating in the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011 . 'The 9/11 Museum won this award alongside a Harry Potter theme park . It 's time for professionals like the National Park Service to bring dignity and respect to the World Trade Center museum and get rid of the high-salaried stuffed suits who are disrespecting the dead heroes and victims at Ground Zero , ' said retired NYPD Sgt . Al Regenhard in a statement to the New York Daily News . Al and his wife Sally said that they were deeply disappointed by the 9/11 Museum and want it to stop storing victim 's unidentified body parts there if they want to go to California to accept entertainment awards . 'What more evidence do the grieving 9/11 families need that their loved one 's precious remains are being desecrated in a freak show at Ground Zero ? ' they said in their statement . 'This award just shows the 9/11 Museum heads have a moral compass that points to money rather than ethics . ' Closure : This uniform shirt was worn by the Navy SEAL Team 6 member who killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May , 2011 , and is on display at the museum . Theme park : This is the permanently snow-capped Hogsmeade Village at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which won the top award at the Disneyland ceremony . The museum was honored for its international impact in raising awareness for the tragic events of 9/11 . 'The award recognizes the museum for extraordinary cultural achievement , and it is an honor to continue to be acknowledged around the world as an institution having a global impact , ' the museum said in a statement . The 9/11 Museum emphasized that they accepted no money for the award , but this is just the latest controversy the embattled exhibition has encountered . When it opened in May , many were angered by a gift shop which sells coffee mugs and T-shirts , all themed around September 11 . Indeed , when asked , visitors to the site on Monday said they did not think the museum should have accepted the award . 'If it offends families who have victims from 9/11 then they should n't accept the award , ' said Sam Allen of Colorado to CBS .
National September 11 Memorial & Museum won an award for 'Extraordinary Cultural Achievement ' Honored at $ 24-head ceremony at Disneyland ceremony in California . Other winners included Florida 's The Wizarding World of Harry Potter . Families of victims are furious and say that officials dishonor Ground Zero .