Tour Information

The Observatory Tour, approximately one hour in duration, and the Promenade Tour, approximately 30 minutes in duration, offer excellent opportunities to visit the Statue's museum, view the original torch, and appreciate the 360-degree panoramic views of the New York skyline, New Jersey, the Harbor and the Statue.

In addition, the Observatory Tour also provides an opportunity for visitors to view the interior of the Statue through a glass ceiling that includes a ranger-led presentation supplemented with a video and graphics that illustrate the history of the Statue.

Several other activities to be enjoyed by all include: touring the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, researching family history at the American Family Immigration Center, listening to the history of the park on an audio tour or ranger-guided tour, watching the Island of Hope/Island of Tears half-hour film produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim, visiting The American Immigrant Wall of Honor, and dining and shopping at the various shops and restaurants on the Islands. Children and the young at heart can also try their luck at becoming Junior Rangers.

Advance Tour Reservations System

To eliminate the long lines previously associated with visiting the inside of the Statue and for safety reasons, visitors will now be required to obtain a time pass for reservations for each of the two new tours.

Time passes for both tours can be booked in advance directly through Circle Line Ferry or obtained the day of visit at the Circle Line Ferry ticket booths at Battery Park and Liberty State Park on a first come, first served basis. Close to 3,000 visitors can be accommodated on the daily tours, which will take place from 8:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. through September. There is no charge to tour the Statue, Liberty or Ellis Island, but there is a fee for the ferry tickets ($10 for adults and $4 for children). In addition, to reserve time passes in ahead of time, a ferry ticket also must be purchased and there is a service charge for the advance ferry ticket of $1.75 per transaction. To make an advance reservation for ferry tickets and tour time passes, please call 1-866-STATUE-4. The online reservation component at www.statuereservations.com will be available by the middle of August.

A large percentage of the advance time passes for the two tours are already booked, although a small percentage of walk-up time passes are available each day for the two tours. These can be obtained at the Circle Line ferry ticket booths in Battery Park and Liberty State Park on a first come, first served basis.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation

In September 2003, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation launched the Campaign to Re-Open Lady Liberty and received an overwhelming response from the American people, corporate America and philanthropic foundations, which evolved into the public forum for all citizens to contribute to the revitalization of Lady Liberty.

Major donations to the Foundation's campaign include: $3 million from American Express, the Foundation's Principal Partner; $1 million from Folgers Coffee, its Official Sponsor; and $1 million from the Annenberg Foundation.

History of The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States and the world in 1886 to celebrate and symbolize American independence. It was designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and included an internal skeleton done by Gustave Eiffel, who later built his namesake tower in Paris. In an unprecedented spirit of international cooperation, French citizens raised funds for the monument, while their counterparts in the United States paid for the pedestal, which was designed by New Yorker Richard Morris Hunt. Lady Liberty was then dedicated on October 28, 1886 on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.

Throughout the past 118 yearsLady Liberty has stood at the entrance to New York Harbor, her symbolic meaning has evolved and changed with the times. Today she represents freedom and what it means to be an American. And no matter what she holds for future generations, she will always represent the fundamental values of our founding forefathers: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/stli.

The National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. For more information, visit www.nps.gov.