The Statue of Liberty is firmly on any ‘must do’ list for New York visitors, but neighboring Ellis Island, a former federal immigration station that now serves as a national immigration museum, is often overshadowed by the colossal statue in the harbor. However, this historic island, fresh from a May 2015 expansion, should not be overlooked, with its enriching insight into the nation’s long and fascinating immigrant history. In addition, the ferry travel ticket that you will buy to get to Lady Liberty (on the nearby Liberty Island), also includes a stop at Ellis Island (the two islands comprise the same national park).
Seize the day and make the most of it, with this handy guide to everything you need to know to maximize your visit to Ellis Island:
What’s the backstory behind Ellis Island?
Ellis Island served as the largest and busiest immigration station in the country between 1892 and 1924, and before its final closure in 1954, more than 12 million immigrants who came to the US by boat from around the world were processed. Here as your first stop on your way to a new life in the United States. An estimated 40 percent of the nation’s population today can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island. The island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Park in 1965, and the main construction and processing center was opened as a museum, after 30 years of neglect, in 1990.
Where is Ellis Island located?
Ellis Island, at 27.5 acres, is located at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor.
What can I expect to see when visiting Ellis Island?
Plan at least a couple of hours to explore the three-story Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration (formerly Ellis Island Immigration Museum), located inside the island’s main building, where the story of American immigrants is told to through numerous galleries filled with artifacts, photographs, and multimedia exhibits. After an expansion in May 2015, the nation’s official immigration museum now comprehensively narrates the history of American immigration from the colonial era in the 17th century to the present day, covering the times before and after Ellis Island.
Visitors enter the museum in the building’s historic Luggage Room, where they can experience the interactive “World of Global Migration” (installed in May 2015), which tracks migration patterns throughout human history. The world is part of the completed Peopling of America Center, which also added a back wing to Ellis Island in May 2015, “The Journey: New Eras of Immigration,” depicting immigration from 1954, when Ellis Island closed, to the modern times.
Also look for the pre-Ellis Island galleries, “Journeys: The Peopling of America, 1550s-1890,” which opened in 2011. Featuring graphics and audio stories, this exhibit documents the history of America’s first arrivals. , including Native Americans. , settlers and slaves, until the opening of Ellis Island in 1892.
The centerpiece of the museum is the Registration Room, or the “Great Hall,” on the second floor, with its vaulted, tiled ceiling, which served as the historic heart of Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants were processed.
Numerous additional showrooms share stories of the immigrants who passed through here in the heyday of Ellis Island, through photos, texts, memorabilia, and listening stations.
Also interesting is the free screening of the 35-minute Ellis Island documentary, Island of Hope, Island of Tears. For children, there is a dedicated children’s exhibit that debuted in 2012, as well as a youth ranger program. Also, look for a gift shop and museum shop that sell assorted books and souvenirs.
At the American Family Immigration History Center, visitors can search the ship’s manifests to see if one of the 22 million passengers who arrived in New York Harbor between 1892 and 1924 were their ancestors (you can also look for them online ).
Other buildings on the island (mostly older medical facilities) have not been restored and are closed to the public, although limited guided tours of the Ellis Island Hospital Complex are available, for an additional fee (see below).
( Note: Due to water damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some sections of the museum have yet to be reopened, with some of the artifacts from the collection in storage, as restoration work is completed . )
Is there a guided tour available?
Yes, free ranger-led 30-minute walking tours through the historic corridors of Ellis Island are available, leaving the information desk in the last hour (no tickets required). There are also free, self-guided audio tours available in multiple languages (there is also a children’s version).
Additionally, on the south side of Ellis Island, 90-minute guided tours of the Hull can be booked to visit sections of the Ellis Island Hospital Complex, with its staff accommodation, autopsy room, laundry, kitchen and more, as well as an art exhibition, “Unframed – Ellis Island”, by renowned artist JR. Tickets are $ 25 and are only available to guests 13 and older (book in advance on the Statue Cruises website).
Is there a place to buy food or drinks on Ellis Island?
Yes, there is the Ellis Island Café, which has an “emphasis on organic ingredients and many heart-healthy options,” according to the website.
How do I buy tickets?
There is no admission fee to access Ellis Island or neighboring Liberty Island (site of the Statue of Liberty). However, there is a fee for the mandatory ferry transportation provided by Statue Cruises, which offers exclusive access to both islands on the same circuit ($ 18 / adults; $ 9 / children; ages 3 and under are free).
Note that it is highly recommended to book in advance for the ferry, which offers timed tickets, to avoid what can be several hour wait times at the ferry terminal. Tickets can be reserved online at statuecruises.com, or by phone at 877 / 523-9849 or 201 / 604-2800. Otherwise, ferry tickets are sold daily at Castle Clinton Monument in Battery Park (in the financial district).
How do I get to the ferry for Liberty Island and Ellis Island?
Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor and is only accessible via a ticket ferry ride with Statue Cruises. (The ferry also stops at neighboring Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty is located.) The Manhattan ferry terminal for Liberty Island is located at the Clinton Castle Monument in Battery Park, on the south end of midtown Manhattan. (There is also another ferry terminal with access to Ellis Island in Liberty State Park in New Jersey.)
Ferry schedules can be viewed at statuecruises.com. Please note that all ferry passengers will be subject to an airport style assessment prior to boarding.
How long should I allow my visit?
If you plan to visit both the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, be prepared to reserve most of your day for your visit. Wait times to board the ferry at Battery Park can be longer than 90 minutes during peak season (April through September and holidays). Start early and don’t schedule firm plans the same afternoon, as you may be surprised how long a visit here can end up consuming.
More information
For more information, visit the National Park Service’s Ellis Island website at nps.gov/elis/index.htm. There, you can check the opening hours (exact ferry times are listed on the Statue Cruises website); related fees; and signs for Battery Park. Ferry tickets can be booked online at statuecruises.com; by phone (877 / 523-9849 or 201 / 604-2800); or in person at the Battery Park Ferry Terminal. If you still have questions about your visit to the park, you can contact the National Park Service at 212 / 363-3200 or email them here.
