All you need to know about the Statue of Liberty

What Americans affectionately call “Lady Liberty” is the symbol of freedom in the United States. Donated by France in the 19th century, it is visited by millions of tourists every year.

Located in New York harbour, it is impossible to miss this 93-metre high monument, whether on foot or by boat. Here’s all the information you need on how and when to see the Statue of Liberty, an American myth that’s not to be missed!

The symbol of the Statue of Liberty, what does it represent?

The Statue of Liberty was the first thing European immigrants saw when they arrived in New York harbour, and it was the first image they had of the United States before they docked.

This symbol has remained etched in people’s memories and is inseparable from the city of New York. The New World was the symbol of a new life, a fresh start far from the famine and lack of prospects that these Europeans were facing and trying to escape.

The American dream, a place where anything was possible for those who weren’t afraid to work hard. There are many symbols on the Statue of Liberty:

• One of the feet rests on broken chains,
• The crown is made up of 7 points, like the 7 seas that cover the earth,
• The golden torch represents the movement of light…

General information about the Statue of Liberty

• The statue itself measures 46 metres, to which must be added the 47 metres of pedestal on which it rests.
• It weighs 225 tonnes and was made of copper, which over time has taken on its familiar green colour.
• It was a gift from France as a sign of friendship, and was due to be delivered in 1776 to celebrate the centenary of American independence. However, it was delivered 10 years late, in 1786, due to various financial problems on both sides of the Atlantic. France was responsible for the design, construction and assembly of the statue, while the Americans were in charge of building the base.
• It is the most visited monument in New York.
• This national monument is located off Manhattan on Liberty Island.
• The French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty on rue de Chazelles in Paris in the workshops of “Plomberie et Cuivrerie d’Art” Gaget Gauthier.
• Gustave Eiffel was also involved in the project, designing the metal frame of the Statue of Liberty.

How do I get to the Statue of Liberty?

The statue is located on an island, and the only way to reach it is by boat. You have 2 options:

• A ticket allowing you to admire the statue from the sea without accessing the island, but this will allow you to take some unforgettable photos.
• A ticket taking you to Liberty Island, where you can visit the Statue of Liberty with or without a guide. The price varies according to the option you choose.

The cruise departs from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The private company Statue Cruise is the only one authorised to disembark on Statue of Liberty Island.

How much does it cost to visit the Statue of Liberty?

It costs around €20 for a simple visit and €50 for a guided tour. An audioguide in French is provided with the purchase of the crossing ticket.

The simple visit is done with the help of the audio guide available in French, and you will be able to visit everything that is free on Liberty Island and Ellis Island, including the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

The pedestal tour takes you up to the base of the statue, which houses the Statue of Liberty Museum, the old torch, and a breathtaking view of the internal structure of the statue thanks to a glass ceiling, while the 360° view from the belvedere offers a magnificent panorama of New York City.

The visit with access to the crown is the icing on the cake: with this ticket, you can climb the steps leading to the inside of the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Please note, however, that this area is not always open, so it’s best to check in advance on the website: https://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/reopening-covid-details.htm

Can I visit the Statue of Liberty?

Yes, as indicated in the previous paragraph, but access to the crown is limited and it is important to find out in advance. Tickets can be purchased from the Statue Cruise website, provided you book well in advance (usually several months), as demand is very high and places are limited!

What can you do on the island of the Statue of Liberty?

• Take a walk around the statue to enjoy the view of this sublime national emblem, the New York skyline and Fort Wood, and take some superb photos!
• The audio guide will introduce you to the island, the statue and its history.
• Guided tours are not necessarily available in French, so it’s best to ask around.
• Admire Fort Wood, inspired by the French engineer Vauban, this star-shaped fort has had no military function since 1937.
• The museum is located in the plinth.
• Access the crown for a 180° view of New York Bay, Brooklyn, Staten Island… And the tablet with its famous inscription “4 July 1776” engraved in Roman numerals. The view isn’t great, but the memory is immense!

The 5 statues of the people who took part in the Statue of Liberty project

These 5 people all played a part, in one way or another, in the creation of this titanic project in New York:

1. Édouard René de Laboulaye

This French historian and specialist in the United States came up with the idea of building the Statue of Liberty while sharing a meal with Republicans at his country house in 1865.

2. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi

A friend of Édouard René de Laboulaye, it was this French artist who was entrusted with the construction of the statue when he wanted to create a gigantic work that would rival the Egyptian monuments.

3. Gustave Eiffel

This world-famous French engineer drew up the plans for the internal structure holding up the Statue of Liberty. This ingenious design enabled the statue to withstand the violent winds and salty air of New York. He would later use the same technique for the Eiffel Tower.

4. Joseph Pulitzer

This well-known journalist used his fame and his newspaper, the New York World, to publicise the project to Americans and raise funds.

5. Emma Lazarus

The poem she wrote about the statue also helped to publicise the project and raise funds.

The Statue of Liberty Museum

This museum is dedicated to the history of the Statue of Liberty, and you’ll discover that it wasn’t an easy project! There are also a number of photos showing the progress of the statue’s construction in Auguste Bartholdi’s workshop in Paris, as well as a model created by Gustave Eiffel.

The original torch, replaced in 1986, is on display in the museum. The tools used in its construction can be seen in the display cases. You’ll discover moulds, templates, the tools used for hammering…

The model

Standing 2.50 m high, this is a reproduction of the statue so that visitors can see all the work that went into building the structure of the model, a real feat for its time. It’s not the only model – there are many others in wood, metal and other materials, in different sizes, as well as the various pedestal designs.

Advertising objects

In France, the statue project was financed by both public authorities and private individuals. In the United States, the sale of promotional items made a major contribution to its funding. In particular, the head and left arm presented at the centenary exhibition in Philadelphia were used as models for a wide variety of promotional items.

Every visitor wanted to take home a little souvenir, an item or “gadget”, a very popular word at the time, inspired by the Paris workshop where the statue was made: Gadget et Gauthier. In this exhibition, you’ll see just a small selection of these items compared with what was on offer at the time.

Other items

Old metal parts used to maintain the structure are on display in the museum, as well as a table showing the dimensions and examples of the vouchers used to finance the statue.

When can I visit the Statue of Liberty?

You can visit the Statue of Liberty every day except 24 November (Thanksgiving) and 25 December, Christmas Day. Visiting hours are from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.

The last entrance to the pedestal museum is at 3.30pm.

Our advice for visiting the Statue of Liberty

To avoid queuing, it is best to go to Battery Park early in the morning to obtain tickets, as places are limited. After 10 a.m. the wait is simply interminable… At least 1 hour to get on the boat.

The first boat leaves at 9.30am and the last one returns from Liberty Island at 3.30pm.

Did you know?

Here is some information to help you learn a little more about the Statue of Liberty before your visit:

• The real name of the Statue of Liberty is “Liberty Enlightening the World”.
• When it was first installed, the statue was not green at all, but red, because it is made of copper the same colour as our euro cents. Over time, a green patina set in.
• When it was inaugurated in 1886, at 93 metres it was the tallest iron structure in the world.
• If they had to make real sandals for the Statue of Liberty, this lady would be wearing size 879… That’s what happens when your feet measure 7.65 metres!
• You have to be a bit of an athlete to climb the 377 steps leading up to the crown, all the while squeezing your way through a relatively narrow space. Claustrophobic visitors and those not in sufficiently good physical condition are advised to abstain!
• Only 30 to 40 people at a time can climb the stairs to the crown. The rules are strict, and latecomers lose their ride for good, without refund.
• The face of the Statue of Liberty is inspired by that of the mother of Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor who created the statue.
• The face of the Statue of Liberty faces east and looks in the direction of France, facing its Parisian double (in a smaller version), located on the Pont de Grenelle.
• The Statue of Liberty commemorates the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• To transport it, the statue had to be dismantled into hundreds of pieces and carefully packed into 210 crates to make the journey from the workshops in Paris to New York.
• From 1886 to 1906, the Statue of Liberty was used as a lighthouse, but as its lighting was not sufficiently visible to sailors in the distance, this activity came to an end after only 16 years.
• The inscription in Roman numerals on the tablet corresponds to the date of America’s independence on 4 July 1776.
• The Statue of Liberty was a huge success from the outset, with no fewer than 20,000 people visiting within 2 weeks of its opening, and 80,000 visitors in its first year. Today, some 3 to 4 million visitors from all over the world come to see this symbolic monument every year.
• A wooden, plaster and iron model of the Statue of Liberty can be found at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris.

Here’s a quick update, so you’ll already know almost everything there is to know about this incredible monument, the Statue of Liberty.