Why won t they clean the Statue of Liberty?

The copper which clads the Statue of Liberty has oxidized and turned green due to its exposure to the elements. This patina actually helps to protect the underlying copper cladding of the statue. If it was cleaned off, eventually the entire copper covering would be eaten away.



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But did you know she hasn't taken a bath in over 130 years? While the Statue of Liberty is maintained regularly and has even undergone some major restoration projects, its iconic green coloring is actually a direct result of not being washed.

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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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The Statue of Liberty has stayed this color for over a hundred years because all the exposed copper is now oxidized: she's stable at this point of her life.

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The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), a colossal sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, underwent an extensive conservation-restoration between 1984 and 1986, in advance of its centennial.

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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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General Admission tickets do not get you access inside the statue or pedestal. Pedestal Ticket: Tickets are limited and reservations are required. Pedestal tickets allow visitors to access up to the top of the pedestal, which includes lower pedestal levels. These are purchased online only through Statue City Cruises.

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The Statue of Liberty is just one of the iconic landmarks in New York City. It's made of copper, which has oxidised naturally to form a green patina coating which actually protects the copper underneath. It took about 20 years for the Statue of Liberty to change from copper coloured to green!

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While Egypt rejected the idea as too costly, Bartholdi's initial vision of an “Arab peasant” evolved into one of a “colossal goddess” that he'd later apply to his Statue of Liberty design ( here ).

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Her expression is serious — determined. She isn't smiling with a twinkle in her eye or posing seductively like many other feminine statues you might be familiar with. Instead, her severe expression and the calm demeanor of her face represents the long and difficult journey to freedom.

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The Statue's shackles and feet. In 1886, The Statue of Liberty was a symbol of democratic government and Enlightenment ideals as well as a celebration of the Union's victory in the American Civil War and the abolition of slavery.

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You can't remove the patina without removing some of the copper too. The skin of the statue is on the thin side - 3/32nds of an inch (about two pennies thick). And it would only be temporary. The copper would turn green again as the copper surface was exposed to air, water and salt.

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Total Cost of Renovations: $39 Million The price tag of the renovations on the Statue of Liberty and her torch cost an estimated $39 million, which would be about $96 million in today's money.

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At the turn of the century, it took longer to form the color we see today's New York air, it would take about 10 years to achieve, but at the turn of the century, it was nearly 25 years before the patina was full-blown. And, America loved the blue-green look of the Lady.

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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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Contrary to popular belief, it's not closed off because of structural damage caused by years of wear and tear — it's thanks to an act of sabotage by Germany on July 30, 1916, during World War I, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

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But beneath her copper skin of a few millimeters thick, the skeleton is beginning to disintegrate. Steven Ross stated that the steel straps that hold the copper to the steel framework would pull away, along with the rivets which could pull away over a period of 100 to 200 years.

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When France gifted 'Lady Liberty' to the US in 1885, it was a 305-feet statue with reddish-brown copper skin. The colour change to the present olive-green happened as a result of about 30 years' chemical reactions with the air in New York City harbour. 2.

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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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