Complete information about visiting the State Of Liberty National Monument, which includes Ellis Island as well, is now on National Park Planner!
While the Statue of Liberty National Monument was created only in 1933, the statue itself was erected in 1886 in the middle of Fort Wood on what was then called Bedloe’s Island (renamed Liberty Island). Today ferries depart every 20 to 40 minutes from Battery Park in New York City and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, bringing over 4.5 million people to Liberty and Ellis islands each year, making Statue of Liberty National Monument one of the Top 20 most popular National Parks.
The only way to set foot on Liberty Island is by purchasing a ticket from Statue Cruises, the National Park Service’s authorized concessionaire that provides the transportation to the islands. Three ticket options are available. General Admission allows you to see the grounds and Statue of Liberty Museum only. A Pedestal Ticket gets you inside the statue’s pedestal and to the balcony at the top where you can get great views of the surrounding area, including New York City. A Crown Ticket, the hardest ticket to get, allows you into the observation area inside the Statue of Liberty’s crown.
A visit to Ellis Island is included with every ferry ticket. The island was added to the park in 1965 but did not open to the public until 1976. It closed eight years later when a massive restoration project on the Main Immigration Building began. Work was completed in 1990. Guests have unrestricted access only to the Main Immigration Building that now houses the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. While most people spend a couple of hours browsing through the exhibits, it would take two full days to see everything and to read all of the information in the museum.
The National Park Service and Save Ellis Island, Inc. also offers a guided tour of the dilapidated hospital complex on Ellis Island. Called the Hard Hat Tour, this is the only way to see a section of the island other than the museum. Tickets are required.
There is a café on each island that serves sandwiches, burgers, pizza, and other typical lunchtime fare. Visitors can also bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages in a small handbag or standard-size backpack. No coolers are allowed.
STATUE OF LIBERTY VISITOR CENTER
DIRECTIONS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
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Last updated on March 1, 2022
