Things To Do

The Statue of Liberty Museum

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Visit the Statue of Liberty Museum

The 26,000-square-foot Statue of Liberty Museum contains interactive exhibits, historical artifacts, an immersive theater, and an inspiration gallery containing the statue's original torch from 1886. Our museum chronicles the intriguing stories behind the conception and construction of one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed from the people of one nation to another. "Liberty Enlightening the World " remains an enduring, global symbol of freedom. Access to the museum is free to all visitors on Liberty Island.

 

Ranger tours are a great way to learn about the history of the Statue of Liberty!

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Park Ranger Guided Tours

Park Rangers provide English-language guided tours throughout the day. Programs start at the flagpole and visitors should expect to be walking or standing for 35 minutes. Tours are free to join and all are welcome! Tours are of the grounds only and will provide a general history of the island and of the Statue, including some of the following:

• Why and how the Statue was made
• Important figures in the Statue's construction
• Liberty Island history
• Symbolism of the Statue of Liberty
• The 1980s Restoration Project

 

Visitors on Liberty Island have access to an audio guide for an outside perimeter walk, artifact explanations found in the museum, and for a statue framework description found at the top of the pedestal.

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Self-Guided Audio Tours

Included in the price of the ferry ticket, the audio tour helps visitors learn about the Statue of Liberty while exploring the grounds of Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty Museum. An audio tour is available for both Liberty Island and Ellis Island.

• Audio tours are available in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Portuguese and Japanese.
• Family-friendly audio tours designed for children ages 6-10 are available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Portuguese and Japanese.
• A descriptive audio tour is available for visitors who are blind or with low vision.
• American Sign Language (ASL) tours are also available.

 

Learn about the Statue of Liberty's pedestal while visiting Liberty Island.

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Visit the Pedestal

The Statue of Liberty's granite pedestal was designed by famed architect Richard Morris Hunt who designed it to complement the Statue of Liberty rather than overwhelm it. Construction of the pedestal was paid for by the American people. The pedestal is roughly half the height of the entire monument with the top offering panoramic views of New York Harbor. Pedestal access is limited and advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended.

 

Inside the Statue of Liberty's crown.

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Visit the Crown

A walk from the ground floor to the Statue of Liberty's crown is equal to climbing the stairs of a 20-story building! Anyone visiting the crown must be able to walk up at least 162 steps on a confined spiral staircase. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's framework that supports the statue is fully visible as visitors ascend and decend the double helix stairway. Expect to see panoramic views at the various pedestal observation levels and tightly framed views of New York Harbor, Manhattan and Brooklyn through the windows in the crown.
Crown access is limited and advanced ticket purchase is required.

 

Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

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Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration

How far would you travel to find a better life? How much would you sacrifice to provide for your family? If you answered "Whatever it takes," you echo the attitudes of the 12 million immigrants who passed through these now quiet halls from 1892 to 1954. Come hear their stories.

Two major projects are underway on the exterior and interior of the museum. Visit the Temporary Exhibit Closure page for updates on how these projects may affect your visit.

All ferry tickets include access to Ellis Island. To visit both islands in one day, the National Park Service recommends an early ferry departure.

 

The inside of the Statue of Liberty's crown as seen from the virtual tour.

Take a Virtual Tour

This interactive virtual tour is a combination of high-resolution spherical images, historical information, and historic images taken in the same areas decades ago. This virtual tour was created by the Heritage Documentation Programs, part of the National Park Service. For best results, please view these pages using a modern web browser. Some legacy browsers will not display some features.