The Statue of Liberty in New York is such an icon of the United States of America, attracting millions of visitors each year. When planning a visit, there are some useful things that you should know before paying a visit to the Statue Liberty to make sure that your trip goes smoothly.
In this article, we share some top tips for visiting the Statue of Liberty and also share some interesting facts about Lady Liberty so that you will have a better appreciation of this famous landmark.
Interesting Facts about Statue of Liberty
Not many people know that the Statue of Liberty was not originally conceived with the United States in mind. In fact, it was originally envisaged to be placed at the Suez Canal by sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi.
However, that idea did not get much support from either France or Egypt. This led him to pivot and turn the statue into a gift for America to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
It was finally completed in 1884, a few years late for the centennial in 1879, and was shipped over in 214 crates. The Statue of Liberty was finally dedicated in October 1886. It took four months to assemble its 350 pieces on the granite pedestal where it stands.
The landmark came under the administration of the National Park Service in 1933 and was listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Tips for Visiting Statue of Liberty
If you are one of the many who are planning to pay a visit to the Statue of Liberty, we have some useful tips that you should know about before making the trip to Liberty Island.
1. Getting to Liberty Island & the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island. You can get to Liberty Island via ferry from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan.
The official tickets to Liberty Island are sold through Statue Cruises. It is highly recommended to purchase your tickets online before you arrive.
If you arrive by subway, you may find street sellers claiming that you can buy tickets from other places. Ignore them. Instead, just head over to Statue Cruises to buy the legitimate tickets, if you haven’t already done so.
The ferry tickets are round trip tickets. It leaves Battery Park to Liberty Island, then to Ellis Island before returning to Battery Park.
The ferry ride from Battery Park to Liberty Island takes around 15 minutes. However, security at the ferry terminal is very strict. You may have to wait up to 90 minutes during peak times to clear security.
It is recommended to travel light and only bring along the essentials that you need, especially if you are planning to go up the monument. You may be required to hire a locker to keep away bags if you are planning to up the Statue of Liberty.
Once you arrive at the Ferry Dock at Liberty Island, to the right is the Cafe Plaza where there is a cafe, bookstore and gift shop. This should be your last stop before you leave the island so that you don’t need to take any purchases with you around the island.
To the left is the Information Centre.
Go straight ahead from the Ferry Dock to arrive at the Flagpole Plaza. The new Statue of Liberty Museum is on the left while the Main Mall on the right leads to the Statue of Liberty.
2. Reserve Tickets in Advance if You Want to Go Up the Pedestal or to the Crown
General Admission Tickets include a round trip ferry service, access to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Grounds and an Audio Tour. You can take pictures of the Statue of Liberty from around the grounds; great for the photo album. However, they do not allow you to go into the monument.
If you want to go into the Statue of Liberty, you will need to choose either a Pedestal Reserve or a Crown Reserve ticket. To do so, you will have to book in advance as these are highly popular.
The Pedestal Reserve ticket allows access to the top of the pedestal and its lower levels. This includes access to the old Statue of Liberty museum. If you have the Pedestal Reserve tickets, you will enter be able to enter into the Lobby where you can also find the UNESCO World Heritage Site plaque on the right wall.
It is 215 stairs to the top of the pedestal where you can take in amazing views of the harbor.
Along the way, you can learn about the Statue of Liberty and its construction from information panels. When you get the outdoor terrace area at level 3, you will be able to get some stunning views of New York Harbor.
But for even better views, climb up to the observation deck on Level 5.
If you have tickets to climb up the Statue of Liberty, take note that it is 162 narrow steps from the top of the pedestal to the Crown. It is a double helix design stairway with each step being nine inches in height and eight inches in length.
If you didn’t manage to get tickets to get to the top of the Statue of Liberty, you can still take a virtual tour to get a view from the torch here.
3. New Statue of Liberty Museum with the Old Torch
Even if you only manage to get General Admission tickets, you will still be able to access the new Statue of Liberty museum. Completed in 2019 at the cost of $100 million, the 26,000 square foot space has three galleries. You can learn about the history of the Statue of Liberty and the ideals that she stands for.
One of the highlights of the new Statue of Liberty Museum is the original 1886 torch from the statue. This removed in 1984 and is now found within the museum at the Museum Torch Gallery.
4. Arrive before 2 pm if You Intend to See Both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
In addition to Liberty Island, a General Admission Ticket also includes access to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
Historically, Ellis Island is the United States of America’s most famous gateway where more than 12 million immigrants arrived in search of a new life. After being processed and successfully making it through the immigration screening, immigrants would depart from Ellis Island to the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
It is not surprising that there is so much to see at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. With so many stories to tell, the museum is a fascinating place to explore.
If your plan is to visit both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you should get onboard ferry before 2 pm to allow yourself sufficient time to enjoy your visit.
5. Pack a Picnic Lunch
While there is a cafeteria at Liberty Island and another one at Ellis Island, the food there is mediocre.
You will be better off packing your own picnic lunch to the island and enjoy that if you are going to be there over lunch time, or wish to have a nice meal at Liberty Island while enjoying the waterfront view.
Alternatively, if you make a point to visit the Statue of Liberty early, you can head back to Lower Manhattan for lunch.
So there you have it! Hopefully, you found these tips and bits of information useful for you to plan for your visit to the Statue of Liberty! Have a wonderful time!
You may also enjoy this story about New York City parks which includes Battery Park. Of you may be interested in reading about where to see the Statue of Liberty from Manhattan.
