Is it legal to go inside the Statue of Liberty?

Visiting Liberty Island is one of the most rewarding experiences of any trip to New York City. However, visitors who wish to enter the pedestal and visit the crown must secure reservations through Statue City Cruises, the ONLY AUTHORIZED ticket seller for Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.



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If you want to go inside the Statue of Liberty, you must buy a Pedestal Access or Crown Access ticket. General Admission tickets do not get you access inside the statue. If you are interested in tours of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, read more below.

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Luckily, for the Statue of Liberty, there are quite a few options. Seeing Lady Liberty for free does mean only getting to take a photo of her. There's no free option for visiting Liberty Island and physically going inside the statue.

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Those with reservations to the pedestal, the stone base that the Statue of Liberty sits on top of, must secure the following items in a locker: ALL FOOD & DRINKS (except water in a clear plastic bottle) ALL BACKPACK-STYLE BAGS (including over-sized bags, drawstring bags, and backpack purses) Strollers.

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Visiting the crown of the Statue of Liberty is a rewarding activity. Due to its extreme popularity, tickets to the crown must be reserved prior to visiting. There are a limited number of crown tickets per day.

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Explore the Statue of Liberty Museum You can see how the statue was built and even take a virtual ride through the interior — which is especially appealing if you don't have a ticket to get to the crown of Lady Liberty or you're not able to make the trip up.

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With 31 tons of copper and 125 tons of steel, the scrap value of the Statue of Liberty comes in at $227,610, far below two of the most expensive statues in the world. But that's what happens when you use millions worth of gold and bronze.

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Visitors to Liberty Island can tour the grounds and, with appropriate advanced tickets, visit the Statue's pedestal and crown. Visitors can also explore the Statue of Liberty Museum.

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Public access has been restricted since 1916, when a munitions explosion on what was then Black Tom Island, believed to have been triggered by German agents, caused $100,000 in damage to the monument.

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July 30, 1916 Dynamite and explosives set for the British and French war effort were detonated. That statue suffered some minor damage (mostly to the right arm and torch) and closed for ten days. For public safety reasons, the torch balcony has been closed ever since.

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Officials with the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation said the torch was removed in 1984 because it was too badly damaged to restore.

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It's worth the visit but you have to be fit to climb up those 315 steps, in a tiny staircase at the end. Just be aware of the security: they do not allow you to take anything with you except your tickets and your camera, if you go to the crown.

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IS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY CROWN OPEN? Yes, as of October 11, 2022, the Crown of the Statue of Liberty is now open.

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The National Park Service had gradually opened parts of the Statue of Liberty throughout the pandemic. The observation deck on the statue's pedestal reopened in July 2021, but the crown had been kept off limits until Tuesday.

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Anyone visiting the crown must be able to walk up at least 162 steps on a confined spiral staircase. There is not an minimum age for the crown access but instead a minimum height requirement. Children must be at least four (4) feet (1.2 meters) tall to visit the crown.

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3. Lady Liberty is struck by lightning 600 times every year. Standing proud, exposed to the elements, the statue has to withstand around 600 lightning bolts every year and, in high winds, the torch can sway by about 5 inches side-to-side!

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The Statue's Copper is the Thickness of Two Pennies This support structure was designed by Gustav Eiffel, before he became famous for the Eiffel Tower. Bonus fact: The amount of copper in the Statue of Liberty could make 30 million pennies.

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Tucked away underneath the 225-ton Lady lays a hidden box. Inside you'll find a copy of the U.S Constitution, a picture of Bartholdi, and 20 bronze medals. But why is it there? No one really knows the answer to this, but it may be a time capsule to commemorate the unveiling.

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Statue of Liberty - a room inside the flame Yes, you read that right! There is a secret room here, which you unfortunately can't access. In 1916, the room in the torch had to be closed after an explosion (which was an act of sabotage committed by German agents during World War I).

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As a tour guide, a question I hear a lot is: “Is it worth it to see Ellis Island?” For those who have no familial connection or relation to the people who passed through, its importance and influence can often be overlooked. Which is why I am here to tell you that it is absolutely, 100% worth it.

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There are 162 steps from the top of the pedestal (Level 6P) to the Crown Platform.

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Visitors climb 354 steps to reach the crown and 192 steps in order to reach the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown which symbolize 25 gemstones found on the earth. The seven rays of the Statue's crown represent the seven seas and continents of the world.

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