Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island

The new Statue of Liberty Museum opened in May 2019, replacing the old Liberty Island Museum that was inside the statue’s pedestal. This is a fantastic leap forward for visitors to Liberty Island because when the museum was inside the statue, only those with Pedestal or Crown tickets were able to see it. The new museum is located in its own building, and now all visitors to the island are welcome inside. Furthermore, while the exhibits are nearly the same—they were simply moved from one building to the other—the old museum, to put it bluntly, was drab and boring. No longer confined to an interior created nearly 150 years ago, the exhibits are now vibrant and exciting and housed in a much more open and modern space. The old museum is still inside the pedestal, though minus the actual artifacts.

Old Liberty Island Museum in 2015

New Statue of Liberty Museum

An information desk is located just inside the museum entrance, and from here you have a choice of proceeding directly to the exhibit area or watching an excellent film on the history of the Statue of Liberty. I recommend starting with the film if this is your first visit to the park. It is divided into three five-minute segments, each shown in its own small theater room. When done watching the first part, proceed to the next theater where the story continues, and then on to the third for the finale. The screens are large, but there is only one bench in each room, so most people have to stand up to watch the films.

Statue of Liberty Museum information desk and entrance to theater (left of desk)

After exiting the theater you will be in the exhibit area of the museum. The information is so thorough in its examination of the statue’s creation, including details about its physical construction, that when you get done going through the exhibits you will know enough to sculpt your own Statue of Liberty. For those who want to learn even more, be sure to pick up a complimentary Acoustiguide audio tour device that comes with your admission to Statue of Liberty National Monument (the Acoustiguide booth is located near the ferry dock). As you pass through the museum, you will see numbers posted at various exhibits. Punch this number into your Acoustiguide device and get additional information about that particular exhibit. Be sure to bring your own headphones so that you don’t have to hold the device to your ear in order to listen. There are separate Acoustiguides with descriptive audio for those who cannot see well and a video device with a sign language interpreter for those who cannot hear.

Exhibit at the Statue of Liberty Museum that is part of the Acoustiguide tour

The exhibits begin with a section on the inception of the Statue of Liberty, introducing the major creative personalities behind it such as Edouard de Laboulaye, the man who came up with the idea, and the sculptor, Auguste Bartholdi. Early models of the statue are also on display.

Different conceptual designs of the State of Liberty

The most interesting of the exhibits is the section on the actual sculpting of the statue. While it appears to be a solid piece of art like any bronze sculpture you might find at a local park, the Statue of Liberty is actually nothing more than a thin, copper shell only two pennies thick that is held up with an internal steel skeleton that was designed by Gustave Eiffel, who would later go on to build the Eiffel Tower.

Exhibits on how the Statue of Liberty was constructed

Replica of a plaster cast used to create toes of the Statue of Liberty

Full-size reproduction of a foot of the Statue of Liberty

While the statue was a gift from France to the United States for its 100^th anniversary of independence, the American public had to fund and build the pedestal. Money did not flow in as easily as hoped for, and when the statue was delivered in 1884, it sat in storage for two more years before the pedestal was completed. A section of the museum looks at the fund raising process and the construction of the pedestal and includes some of the original design concepts.

Proposed designs for the Statue of Liberty pedestal

A visitor favorite at the Statue of Liberty Museum is the section that focuses on the statue’s cultural influence, both in political terms and in popular culture. Memorabilia from the dedication are on display, as well as early souvenirs.

Exhibit on the Statue of Liberty in pop culture

Statue of Liberty souvenirs and pop culture art work

Also on display is the original torch of the Statue of Liberty. This was removed in 1984 and replaced two years later with the torch that is in use today. The torch is housed in what is known as the Inspiration Gallery. This is the room enclosed with large, glass windows that provide a panoramic view of Liberty Island.

Original Statue of Liberty torch in the museum’s Inspiration Gallery

The new Statue of Liberty Museum also has an observation deck on its roof. You can take the stairs or an elevator to the top. From here you can see the entire Liberty Island, as well as New York City.

View from the roof of the new Statue of Liberty Museum

Of all the National Park museums that I have reviewed here on National Park Planner, the Statue of Liberty Museum is one of my favorites. I learned so much about an iconic object that I’ve known about since I was a kid, but didn’t really know anything about. For example, I had no idea it was nothing more than a thin shell of copper, or that it was green because of the oxidation process of the copper. I read everything in the museum, and it took me a little over an hour. I did not listen to all of the Acostiguide narrations, and I have no idea how much additional time would be required to do so. However, as with any museum, most people wander through and stop to take a look at a few items that catch their fancy. If that’s your plan, give yourself 30 minutes for your visit.

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