Both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are amazing to visit. The statue is so majestic and famous standing in the New York Harbor and Ellis Island was interesting and educational. We visited both during our trip to NYC. For more pictures of that trip, visit HERE.
The statue was a gift of friendship from France and per the National Park Service website is “recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.” The
Statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886, was designated as a National Monument in 1924 and has been cared for by the National Park Service since 1933. This huge copper statue was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and build by Gustave Eiffel (the same who built the Eiffel Tower which was started in 1887). She holds a torch above her head and a tablet inscribed July IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776 – Independence Day).
Per the National Park Service Lady Liberty is 111’ 1” (33.86 m) from her heel to the top of her head and 151’ 1” (46.05 m) from the top of the base to the torch. I know your not supposed to tell a lady’s weight but here it is anyway: she weighs 312,000 lbs. which is made up of 62,000 lbs. of copper and a frame of 250,000 lbs. Read up on more information and history at the National Park Service website for the Statue of Liberty.
To plan your visit, you first must decide what level you want to go to. Your three options are to visit the grounds, to visit the grounds and pedestal, and to visit the grounds, pedestal and crown. However, to get to the crown, you must plan well in advance as reservations are required, are limited and are a hot commodity. I looked on Feb. 26 for tickets from the approved vendor (Statue Cruises) and the next available was June 5! The pedestal allows for access into the pedestal, museum and viewing platform and are limited with reservations required. The grounds only pass is generally available. All tickets come with an audio tour that has a speaker and you can hold up to your ears. However, we suggest that you bring headphones, it just makes it easier.
From Manhattan, you leave from Battery Park (Liberty Park in NJ) which is convenient enough as there subway and bus stops close. After you go through security (check for safety information HERE) you board the boat that takes you to Liberty Island. You get awesome views of New York from the water and you also get some awesome views of the statue.
Once finished on Liberty Island, you board the boat and are taken to Ellis Island next. You don’t have to get off if you don’t want to, but I would recommend it. Taking the tour is very educational, especially to Roama who was not born in the US. I already knew some of the history but very little.
IN 1891, the federal government took over the responsibility for regulating immigration from the states through the Immigration Act of 1891. Ellis Island was one of the entry points to the US for immigrants. According to the National Park Service website for Ellis Island, there were “12 million immigrants who passed through these now quite halls from 1892 to 1954.” Ellis Island served as an entry point and inspection station with an inspection taking between 3 and 7 hours. To many it was the “island of hope” but to others it became the “island of tears” where some families were separated, and individuals denied entry to the US. Read up more information and history at the National Park Service website for Ellis Island.
Your visit includes another audio tour and you hear much about immigration and some of what people had to go through to get to the US to try to have a better life. Our visit has inspired me to investigate my family history. There is even research guidance that is available for you to do your own research or you can hire help to assist in your research.
Overall, both attractions, in our opinion, are a “must see” for all visitors to or residents of New York City. The beauty and history are amazing, educational and very interesting. If we went back, we would do 3 things differently. First, I would bring my headphones. It just makes it much easier to walk and listen to the free tour. Second, we would try to do the pedestal. The cost is not much more, and the view would be cool, but that would involve a significant (3-6 months) advance plan. We would also plan more time at Ellis Island as the facility is large and we did not have time to walk the whole thing and listen to the tour in order and in its entirety.
Other Resources:
Resources
Wiki –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Island
Tracing ancestors
https://www.nps.gov/elis/learn/historyculture/trace-ancestors.htm
