Will they ever polish the Statue of Liberty?

The green color, a patina or discoloration acquired over time by exposure to rain and salt spray from the ocean, will not be removed because to do so would weaken the copper of which the statue is made. The patina, though green in color because it is a by-product of weathered copper, actually is like a form of rust.



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The Statue of Liberty hasn't had a bath in more than 130 years, according to an article on the AM New York website. And despite regular maintenance and a handful of restoration projects, the symbol of American freedom is plagued by a green hue — a direct result of not being washed.

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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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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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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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Little Lady Liberty: France Is Sending The U.S. A Second, Smaller Statue Of Liberty. A mini replica of the French-designed Statue of Liberty will reach the U.S. on July 1. Here, the statue awaits its move in Paris on Monday. The Statue of Liberty will celebrate Independence Day with her little sister this year.

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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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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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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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Water fountains are located in the lobby of the Statue of Liberty near the restrooms. Speaking of restrooms, the lobby facilities are the only ones located inside as well. So plan accordingly before you climb!

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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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The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French people commemorating the alliance of France and the United States during the American Revolution. Yet, it represented much more to those individuals who proposed the gift. A photograph of Edouard de Laboulaye from the Galerie Contemporaine collection.

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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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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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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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Egypt rejected the Statue of Liberty because according to the Khedive it was too costly. The original plan was to present the colossal neoclassical sculpture to Egypt to stand at the entryway to the Suez Canal as a beacon of light to Asia.

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To these anxious newcomers, the Statue's uplifted torch did not suggest enlightenment, as her creators intended, but rather, welcome. Over time, Liberty emerged as the Mother of Exiles, a symbol of hope to generations of immigrants.

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So who was the Statue of Liberty modeled after? Quite likely, a mixture of all of these: Augusta Charlotte Bartholdi, the Roman goddess Libertas, a peasant, and that extra inspiration in the artist's own mind.

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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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“The statue symbolizes freedom and the light around all the world,” Olivier Faron, general administrator of the museum, commented to CNN Style. “We want to send a very simple message: Our friendship with the United States is very important, particularly at this moment. We have to conserve and defend our friendship.”

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