It’s fitting that the only way to get to the Statue of Liberty is by boat. After all, it was by boat that the immigrants of old the grandparents and great grandparents of many Americans arrived in this country. As they entered New York Harbor, they would be greeted by the majestic, 22-story monument her torch a beacon of liberty, welcoming them to the new world.

Visiting the statue today, you can witness a similar sight. To get to the island you need to travel by ferry from either Battery Park in New York City or Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ. Of course this ride is far shorter than the trip from Europe, but on summer days the boat is hot and brimming with huddled masses of tourists, who by journey’s end, are definitely yearning to breathe free.

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, and its full name is Liberty Enlightening the World. A gift from the people of France, the statue was dedicated in 1886. About 4.5 million people visit her each year and it’s easy to see why. In a modern city of soaring sky scrapers, Lady Liberty stands out as unique a great work of art on a truly colossal scale.

Dennis Mulligan, supervisory park ranger for visitor services at the Statue of Liberty National Monument, says people are drawn to the statue because she “represents something that is still so relevant in this world. People come to reflect and remember what an amazing gift liberty is.”

These visitors come from all backgrounds and from all around the globe. Mulligan says “when you walk around the island it is not uncommon to hear 20 or 25 different languages spoken.”

Currently the inside of the statue is closed as renovations are made. Though the interior of the statue itself will not be altered, renovations to the interior of the base will be made and include the addition of new code compliant stairways, updates to mechanical, electrical and fire suppression systems, new elevators and renovated bathrooms. The inside is not scheduled to reopen until at least the fall, but no exact date has been set.

Even when the interior of the monument is open, only a fraction of the 12,000 to 15,000 thousand people who visit Liberty Island each day are allowed in. Staff allows 3,500 people a day to enter the structure and only 250 a day are able to go up to the statue’s crown. Although some same day passes to go inside the pedestal are given out early each morning, Mulligan recommended advance reservations. He said you usually need to book a pedestal pass about one to two weeks in advance and a visit to the crown usually requires a reservation made 3 to 6 months in advance. Visitor access to the observation area on the torch has been closed since 1916.

However, even just visiting the outside of the statue is well worth the trip. I grew up not far from New York City, and had seen the statue from a distance many times but I had never visited Liberty Island prior to this story. Standing in its shadow, the statue is beautiful and awe inspiring and I was surprised by just how big it is.

Liberty Island is also full of historical information about the statue and there’s a restaurant and picnic area with great views of the harbor and lower Manhattan. Also, Liberty Island is next to Ellis Island and you can stop at Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum on the way back to Manhattan for no extra admission charge.

Mulligan said the park is at its least crowded during the week right after Labor Day because kids have just gone back to school.

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