Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
Plan your visit to Statue of Liberty
What to see
When you are planning your visit to the Statue of Liberty expect to be amazed and take in all the beauty and magnificence of this iconic monument. It is a memorable experience and it should be included in your trip to New York.
To be able to get to either of the islands you need to go onboard the ferry service, and to do so you have to book a ticket to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island. All of the ticket options include access to both islands, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum is free to access upon arrival. There are different ticket choices available, and you can pick the one that suits you best. And you pick to leave from Battery Park in New York or Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
Please keep in the following tips to make your trip more enjoyable: wear comfortable clothes and dress according to the weather conditions; arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled reserve time; please keep in mind that you will go through airport-like security to board the ferry.
Visit Statue of liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic monuments in the United States. When you are in New York it is a must-see on your to do list of things to do in the city. There are several ticket options you can book online in advance: Ticket + Grounds, Tickets with Pedestal Access, Hard Hat Tour Ticket. Each option grants you different accesses when you visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but all of them include the round trip ferry ride, entry to the Statue of Liberty Museum, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
To have enough time to visit both Liberty Island and Ellis Island, we recommend that you book a departure time before 2 PM. You can also choose to leave from two different points, the Battery Park in the New York Ferry Terminal or in Liberty State Park in the New Jersey Ferry Terminal. Tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty from New Jersey usually have more availability than from New York, so you can take this into consideration when planning your visit.
Statue of Liberty history
Did you know that the idea to build the Statue of Liberty came from the French? It was presented by Edouard Rene de Laboulaye, a French intellectual and political that represented the French Anti-Slavery Society to commemorate the centennial of American Declaration of Independence, and also to honor the friendship with France. He commissioned the design to Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor and the metal framework was made by none other than Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
The design for the Statue began in 1870 by the hand of Bartholdi, and the construction began in 1876, where French artisans and craftsmen started building the structure. The entire Statue was built separately in both countries, France and United States. The actual robed female figure, Liberty, was built in France while the pedestal was erected in the United States. The Statue was finished in 1884 and sent to the U.S. in 1885, but the pedestal was not completed until 1886. Her full name is “Liberty Enlightening the World“ and the dedication date was on October 28, 1886.
Visit Ellis Island
Although the Statue of Liberty is usually the biggest attraction for most visitors located on Liberty Island, there is also Ellis Island that houses America’s largest immigration station and it is known today as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. When immigrants arrived by boat to New York the first thing they would see is the Statue of Liberty, but they would enter through the golden gates of the station.
Aside from the Ellis Island Immigration Museum that is free to access when you arrive and has a lot of history and information ready to be taken in by visitors, there is also the Ellis Island Hospital, that was the largest Public Health Service Hospital that had two purposes: to treat immigrant that were ill, and also to aislate patients that had highly contagious diseases before sending them back to their country of origin. There is a special tour available to visit the unrestored hospital but it has certain limitations of age and mobility as well.
Ellis Island History
Before Island Ellis housed the largest immigration station and one the largest hospitals of the nation, it was known as a part of the Oyster Islands thanks to its rich and abundant oyster beds and profitable shad runs for several generations during the Dutch and English colonial periods. At the time that Samuel Ellis purchased the island, it had gone through many names and went from a sandy island to a harbor front, and ultimately turned into an immigration station.
The Ellis Island Immigration Station was fully operational from 1892 to 1954 and received over 12 million immigrants that came to America from all over the world in search of a better life for them. The building reopened in 1980 and was made available to the public to visit. You can find all the information from immigrants that came through Ellis Island, and even look up your ancestors if you know that your family arrived here. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this historic island.
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The Battery – New York City Departure
The Battery, previously known as Battery Park, has limited parking available, and it is therefore advisable to use public transport in order to reach your destination.
To plan your trip in detail, you can visit this link for all information regarding public transportation to Battery Park in Manhattan.
The subway, bus, train, ferry and taxi are all good options that can be used to reach the departure point.
If you have printed your online tickets you may proceed directly to the departure line.
Liberty State Park – New Jersey Terminal Departure
The New Jersey Terminal is the perfect choice of departure if you are travelling in a motor vehicle, private or public, due to the fact that parking is available for a fee and it is accessible from the road.
The ticket office and departure point is located near the water by the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. The terminal is located one mile from the nearest subway, and also accessible by ferry.
Visitors from New York using the Liberty Landing Ferry service with a ferry ticket booked to Liberty and Ellis Islands will receive a $2 discount.
If you have printed your online tickets you may proceed directly to the departure line.
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