Ellis Island Reimagined Project

Project Updates

The project will be phased so most of the museum will continue to be open to the public. Check back here for updates on any exhibit closures due to construction.

October 2024

• HVAC work continues in the Kitchen & Laundry Building (west side of the main building) and the Post Ellis exhibits have temporarily reopened to the public.

September 2024

• HVAC upgrades are underway in the Kitchen & Laundry Building (west side of the main building).
• Demolition work in the Railroad Ticket Office (Coming to America exhibits) has commenced.

Temporary Exhibit Closures:

First Floor - Main Immigration Building

• Journeys: The Peopling of America 1550-1890 (Coming to America)

 

Courtesy of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Foundation

 

Courtesy of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation

What’s Happening?

Funded by donations through our official park partner The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. (SOLEIF), this project will include the reimagining of the Ellis Island exhibits. The renovated and expanded museum will educate and engage visitors by connecting six centuries of history. New exhibit experiences will be innovative, immersive, and interactive and designed thoughtfully to meet the needs and expectations of the museum-going audience of the 21st century.

This project will include more than 100,000 square feet of updated exhibits. Additionally, it will include new public spaces such as a new temporary exhibit gallery and flexible program spaces for educational programs. There will also be important accessibility upgrades that include better wayfinding and improved navigation for all visitors. The project will remove non-functioning escalators and replace them with a more sustainable staircase. Also, there will be additional restrooms to appropriately accommodate the site visitation. Critical systems in the historic buildings will be addressed to prioritize safety, sustainability, and comfort. Furthermore, the heating and air-conditioning system will be upgraded, and electrical systems will be modernized.

 

Courtesy Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation

Why are we doing this project?

It has been thirty years since the museum on Ellis Island opened. The National Park Service in partnership with the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is reimagining the entire visitor experience for the 21st century to fully embrace the story and spaces of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

 

The Registry Room, or Great Hall, in the Main Immigration Building on Ellis Island.

NPS Photo

How Will This Impact Your Visit?

During the project, there will be noise and construction activity in the Main Immigration Building. You are likely to see construction equipment. There may be short-term temporary closures of parts of exhibits. There may be construction materials and personnel in the interior of the building as the work progresses. Throughout the construction, Ellis Island and the National Museum of Immigration will remain open to visitors.