Except on Sunday it's open to the public for $25.
I hope the poster who bought plane tickets didn't do it because of this post.
It's NOT open to the public on Sunday! And you can't get a ticket even if you know a vendor at this late date (i.e. - it's Sunday!). They have to request them by early January at the latest.
The SUMMER Namm - 1/4 the size of Anaheim, and in Nashville - HAD tried being open on Sunday (for a $25 ticket fee) but there were too many complaints from vendors, so they returned to the industry-only policy.
It used to be easy to get a badge if you knew just about anyone who was going, as you could borrow a badge for a day (no visitor wants to walk that show for 4 days - it'd be like running the Boston Marathon 4 days in a row, only with more people in your way) - I generally get my badges from Fender but couldn't go this year, and in past years a couple unnamed (but well known) professional studio guitarists went wearing my sons' badges because they'd forgot to ask one of their sponsors (which, as an artist/endorsee, you usually have to do by September - hardly any company sends artists who aren';t performing unless they ask since each exhibitor only gets a certain badge allotment)!
Several years ago, however, they went to a "photo ID required" policy, and rigorously enforce it. If your name and picture on your drivers' license doesn't match the badge, you don't get in. No exceptions.
I understand their reasoning, to a point - 99% of the exhibitors are there to promote their products and sign yearly contract inventory orders to/with brick-and-mortar and internet DEALERS. Having 25,000 musicians/fans/relatives blocking access and taking up time asking endless questions prevents them from doing what they're there to do.
There are a small minority of companies who are there to promote new companies and product lines to everybody, and they want to be seen by players. But they are NOT the norm. Most of the major manufacturers are tolerant - to a point - of players/visitors, but may seem rude and literally elbow you out of the way if Guitar Center's Marketing Director walks into the room. And some companies - Gibson is notorious for this - won't let anyone in their room who isn't wearing a buyer badge (and all Gibson endorsees are given employee badges). I've seen major artists turned away at Gibson's door because they are not Gibson/Epiphone endorsees.
However, I DO think the "public Sunday" idea is a good one. I've been there in all capacities - employee working booths, artist/endorsee and "visitor", been treated differently at some booths depending on what badge I was wearing...but I think it would do the industry a lot of good (not to mention give the economy a nudge, and many music-related businesses have gotten slammed by the economy) to let eh general public in on Sunday only - that's the day most exhibitors have long been finished with their major deals for the year, is a far more "social" day, has the greatest number of artists in attendance, and is the day many exhibitors are selling display items at huge discounts so they don't have to load all the stuff back out! Even when working the show I've tried to have Sunday off - so I can see what deals I can get myself!
Anyway - that's the reality. And I don't see a "public day" coming up anytime in the near future. Too many old-guard NAMM members (ESPECIALLY in the band instrument, sheet music and pro sound/lighting parts of the industry) a dead-set against it, and they have a LOT of power!