subject: Visiting The Statue Of Liberty [print this page] The statue was a gift to the United States of America from France to help celebrate America's centennial on July 4, 1876. The structure was designed by Frederic Bartholdi and Alexandre Eiffel provided the internal framework.
Lady Liberty was shipped by ferry to the shores of America in 350 different pieces. It also came with instructions on how to assemble it and a sketch of what it was supposed to look like as a final product.
The United States' treasury did not have the funds to build a pedestal or base for the large structure in 1883. So to raise the money Emma Lazarus wrote the famous Italian sonnet entitled "The New Colossus," which was published in newspapers across the country.
The poem read: "Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/The wretched refuse of your teeming shore/Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me/I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
It expressed the statue's freedom symbolism and called upon citizens to help promote and support that message by sending money to help build the pedestal.
The poem reached thousands, and people sent envelops full of money to New York for the statue's pedestal. Some envelops only had a few cents, while others contained hundreds of dollars.
Enough money was raised, and construction began on the base. It took four months to complete construction, which was finished on October 28, 1886.
President Grover Cleveland dedicated Lady Liberty on October 28 1886. In 1924 it was made into a national monument by the National Park Service.
The Statue of Liberty stands 152 feet tall and has 354 steps to reach the crown. The Statue of Liberty stands as a symbol of freedom, democracy and
immigrant hope.
The statue is located on Liberty Island, and is open to tourists year-round. Tourist hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
You can only get to the island via ferry, but ferry schedules change frequently, so visitors should visit the island's website for ferry schedules. No reservations are needed to get to the island, but they are needed to get into the statue.
Tour tickets are time specific, so if you reserve a ticket, you must go at that designated time. The museum and pedestal tickets are free, but only a certain number people are allowed through daily.
Go online to reserve your tickets beforehand if you want a tour of the inside. It costs $3 to go up to the crown, but visitors must be willing and able to climb all 350 stairs without assistance.
There are also ranger tours of the island, and these do not require reservations or tickets. You may also request self-guided audio tours for $8 a person.
These come is several international languages including Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. There are also audio tours for children that are narrated by fictional animal characters in five different languages.
Children are welcome to visit Liberty Island and Lady Liberty, strollers are not allowed on the promenade or observatory tours. For children between the ages of seven and twelve, there is a Junior Ranger Program offered.
There are basic food concessions available for travelers on Liberty Island, including hot dogs, ice creams, and beverages. There are also many grassy areas where you can bring a self-packed picnic to enjoy on the island.
The Statue of Liberty was closed to visitors following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, but Liberty Island was reopened on December 20, 2001. Now, security is very tight, and visitors must pass through metal detectors and pass x-ray inspections of their bags.
One August 3, 2004, the Promenade and Observatory were reopened to visitors by reserved ticket only. Finally, on July 4, 2009, almost 8 years after the terrorist attacks, the Crown was once again made accessible to visitors.
