The Story of Liberty
Overview
The Statue of Liberty started as a romantic idea and became the most monumental gift in American history. Today, it stands as a singular symbol of hope and spirit.
Be Inspired
The Statue of Liberty Museum
Enrich your time on Liberty Island with a visit to this impeccably curated museum. Explore the Statue’s history, view her original torch, and discover the passion that fueled her creation.
Keepers of the Flame
The Role of the Foundation
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation honors the American experience through its preservation and support of these two great monuments. From restoring the Statue to creating a world-class museum and much more, the Foundation is committed to fulfilling projects that will keep Lady Liberty standing tall for current and future generations.
The Next Chapter
The Future of Liberty
The Foundation preserves the legacies of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island with the help of passionate supporters from around the world. Learn how you can play a role in the future of these monuments and help keep the torch burning bright.
Visit
Plan Your Voyage
See the icon in person. Take a trip to Liberty Island and tour a remarkable monument to freedom.
Show Your Support
Help keep the torch burning bright
Have Questions?
To get to Liberty and Ellis Islands, visitors must take a ferry from either Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Statue City Cruises operates the ferry service. For more information, see our Visit Liberty & Ellis Island page.
Visitors should note that Statue City Cruises is the only authorized concessionaire permitted to sell tickets and provide ferry access to Liberty and Ellis Islands. As such, visitors should avoid street vendors peddling tickets in and around Battery Park. Tickets sold by street vendors will not provide access to the grounds on Liberty Island and Ellis Island or to the museums on each island – the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
The torch is closed to the public. Access to the pedestal and crown requires special tickets and should be purchased in advance from Statue City Cruises. For more information, see our Visit Liberty & Ellis Island page.
The Statue of Liberty Museum and Liberty Island grounds remain fully accessible to all guests. The Museum tells the history and influence of Lady Liberty, including a simulated climb to her crown. A visit to the Liberty Vista, atop the Museum, offers a unique look at the Statue and sweeping views of New York Harbor.
For updates on visiting the Statue’s Crown, please review the National Park Service website.
Visitors to Liberty Island can tour the grounds and, with appropriate advanced tickets, visit the Statue’s pedestal and crown. Visitors can also explore the Statue of Liberty Museum. Adjacent to the Statue, the museum tells the history of Lady Liberty and features a number of unique artifacts, including the statue’s original torch.
It is not. The Statue is located on Liberty Island, a short ferry ride from America’s most famous immigration center, Ellis Island. Ellis Island is now home to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
Park Rangers provided brief tours at each museum. For information, please visit the National Park Service website.
Audio tours are available upon arrival to Liberty Island for no additional cost. Content is available in 12 languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. A family-friendly tour is also available, as are an American Sign Language (ASL) version and an Audio Descriptive (AD) version.