How much would you pay to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event? We asked 2,000 Americans what they would realistically pay to witness a particular moment in history. To help narrow the list, we compiled 40 historic experiences from pop culture, music, sports, world history and personal moments. Check out the graphic below to see how much money people are willing to spend on a moment in time.
In order to breakdown the value of historical events, let’s get the biggest ticket out of the way first. According to the survey, most people would spend on average $100,622 to relive the day their first child was born. This personal moment is interesting, considering that those surveyed already experienced it within their lifetime and would pay that much to simply do it again. Maybe they want to take more photos or soak in the life-changing day once more, but either way, when compared to all other offered experiences in life—whether personal or historical—most people would choose a deeply personal moment to have déjà vu. How sweet!
Aside from sentimental moments, the next biggest items are major historical events: the 1969 moon landing, where most people would pay $39,334 to witness, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which fetched around $36,836 on average.
Both events signify major turning points in American history as the starting point of a new frontier: the birth of our country and the dawn of the possibilities beyond our own planet. Considering that the average cost of a wedding in 2018 is $35,329, witnessing events of such magnitude for under $40,000 seems like a bargain!
Back in 1969, you could attend the historic three-day music festival known as Woodstock in upstate New York for $6.50 each day, $18 for all three days with advance purchase. Imagine what the organizers would think if they knew that in 2018, people would pay $11,110 to attend the muddy musical mayhem. Woodstock experience ranks only a few hundred dollars more than the privilege of seeing the Beatles on their 1964 World Tour (averaging $10,564).
So who wants to relive these milestones? Gen-Xers are most likely to pay for music and personal experiences, while Baby Boomers are more likely to go for historic events. Millennials are more interested in pop culture and sporting events, which might explain the surprising price tag of $14,579 to witness Mark Zuckerberg launch Facebook.
Not surprisingly, women would pay $31,456 more than men to relive the moment their first child was born, probably because it was such a whirlwind the first time.
Whether it’s world history or a special time in pop culture or a personal, sentimental moment, people are willing to open their wallets to witness important milestones—either for the first time or once more.
