Statue of Liberty

One of the most iconic landmarks in the world, and perhaps in most of written history, stands proudly on the eastern seaboard of the United States. A gift from the French Republic and dedicated to the United States in 1886, this statue is wrought with meaning, feats of engineering and artistry, and a little bit of wonder. It has been a beacon for imagination and those yearning for freedom since its inception.

Its official name is Liberty Enlightening the World; designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and his team of artisans to celebrate United States centennial and the special relationship enjoyed by both nations. This monument to freedom and friendship has stood for 140 years and seems poised to stand for countless centuries to come.

Whether you are visiting for the history, the art, the engineering, or just because it's a landmark to check off your bucket list, the Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Island as a whole, won't disappoint.

Getting Here

The Statue of Liberty is located in New York Harbor on Liberty Island. Getting there is pretty easy. You can book tickets directly on the official Statue of Liberty National Park Service website. Be cautious of online scams. The NPS is the only official spot. You can board the ferry either at Battery Park, or from New Jersey. Tickets include a visit to Ellis Island as well.

Visiting

The ferry from Battery Park, NY takes about 15 minutes. The ferry is pretty basic and can sometimes be standing room only, but it's enough to get you there and back.

Once you are on Liberty Island, you depart onto the main dock and can walk onto the island. From there, if you want to see the front of the statue from up-close, head on the trail to the right which will make a circle around the entire island and provides great views of the statue and the entire New York Harbor. If you'd prefer to visit the museum first, head straight and the museum will be on your left once you enter the island's main square.

Museum

The new museum opened in 2019 and is a beautifully designed and open space where you can learn everything about the Statue of Liberty. The original torch is also housed here, having moved from the Pedestal rotunda when the museum opened. The museum has a few great interactive exhibits as well as statues that show the interior and construction elements of the real thing.

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Pedestal Tour

This tour can sell out, but usually not as fast as the Crown Tour. Here, you'll get the chance to go inside the pedestal, up around 170 steps. First, you'll enter the ticketing queue and a metal detector line through the far left side of the statue (if you approach from behind). Next, they'll have you walk in an interior courtyard where the original entrances were. Then you'll go through huge metal doors that look like they could house King Kong and then in two sets of glass doors and into the original rotunda. It's a bit barren now, but still neat to see. The stairs to the pedestal and crown are directly ahead. Bathrooms are on the 2nd floor along with the old museum.

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  Original Rotunda stairs

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  Staircase to the pedestal

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  Original entry doors

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  Statue of Liberty from the main courtyard

Crown Tour

The crown tour is the most difficult to book. Look for tickets about 6 months in advance if you want to visit. For this, you'll get the same entrance and views as the Pedestal Tour, but then will get to keep ascending into the crown. This is 377 steps up, with over half of them being in a very tight space with a winding staircase. You'll be in the crown for a short period before the Park Service attendant has you descent the staircase for the next group. The views from here are magnificent and it's a once-in-a-lifetime view.

A word of advice, though: if you're claustrophobic, this can be a difficult space to navigate, especially as you get towards the top. So think about it before booking.

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  Statue of Liberty Spiral Staircase

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  View of the harbor from the crown

Food, Drink, and Souvenirs

The island has a small area right near the boat dock where you can buy souvenirs, grab a bite to eat, or just get a drink. During lunch time it fills up fast and can be difficult to find a place to sit. The food is pretty basic, so don't expect much.