Inside The Statue of Liberty
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The Statue of Liberty is an icon of New York City and a symbol of freedom known worldwide. You can go inside the crown with some pre-planning.
Getting to the Stature of Liberty Crown: (Jump To)
About the Statue of Liberty
The gargantuan copper statue was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. The statue was built in 1886 with structural help from Gustave Eiffel, the Frenchman behind the Eiffel Tower.
The Statue depicts the Roman goddess of liberty standing tall holding a torch high above her head. In her left hand, she holds a book with Roman numerals commemorating July 4th, 1776, the date of the Declaration of Independence. At her feet lie broken shackles.
The statue stands on Liberty Island, which is federally managed by the National Park Service. The island is about two miles off the coast of Manhattan, accessible by ferry.
How to Get Statue of Liberty Tickets
Tickets for the ferry are sold online in advance for about $20 for adults with discounts for children and seniors. You can also buy tickets in person at Castle Clinton inside Battery Park; entrance to the crown is an additional $3.
It is very important to buy tickets to the crown well in advance. In the high tourist season, tickets are typically sold out for as long as six months in advance. Buying a walk-up ticket to the crown almost never happens. The pedestal has a much higher capacity, but it also sells out at busy times.
The ferry departs about twice an hour and takes 20 minutes to travel to Liberty Island. On the return trip, the ferry also stops at Ellis Island, home to an immigration museum and other sites of note.
On the island, there are essentially three ways to see the statue. The first you’ve already done that is just getting to the island and walking the grounds. The second is accessing the pedestal. The pedestal is the 89-foot stone base on which the statue stands. It is free to access but a ticket is required. That ticket needs to be purchased along with your ferry ticket either online in advance or at the ticketing office before departing. The third is the crown ticket. Like the pedestal, it must be purchased in advance.
For much of my adult life, the interior of the statue had been off-limits. After the September 11th attacks in New York, the statue's interior was closed indefinitely. Almost a decade later, in 2009, access to the crown was reinstated, but only to a very limited number of people. Less than two years later access was again closed because the interior needed an update for accessibility and to modernize the facilities. After a remodel, the Statue reopened again in 2012, only to be derailed just one day later by Hurricane Sandy. Finally, in the summer of 2013, the statue reopened and thankfully, has remained open since.
Going To the Crown of The Statue of Liberty
The ascent to the top of the crown is something I have wanted to do since seeing Ghostbusters 2 as a child. I’ve learned since that in the film the interiors were shot on a soundstage, but nevertheless, the seed was planted.
Accessing the crown starts with climbing onto the pedestal. From there you enter a door and are officially inside the giant hollow statue. You look up to the dimly lit green copper interior and have no choice but to be overwhelmed by the size and girth of the monument.
A narrow, double helix, spiral staircase is the only way to the top. The stairs are narrow and steep. The journey is not for people who have issues with heights, mobility, or balance. You’re required to leave everything beyond a camera and a plastic water bottle at the bottom of the stairs. There are a few small platforms along the way to stop to catch your breath.
At the top, you’ll have a few moments inside the crown. They like to keep traffic moving, so lingering at the top is not really possible. The crown itself is much smaller than you might expect. A National Parks employee is stationed at the top to keep things moving along. He or she will be happy to take your photo.
From the crown windows, you can peer out to see the harbor. Because of the shape of the statue, you can also look downward for a unique perspective. The windows are tiny but you can get a few quick looks.
From there you take the other side of the spiral helix down to the ground level. For me, this was more terrifying than the way up. I clenched the core (and other things) and made it down safely.
Sadly, access to the true top of the statue, the torch, was cut off in the 1910s.
A new museum opened on the island in 2019. It replaced the smaller museum inside the pedestal. Access to the museum is included in the price of the ferry ticket. There is also a small cafeteria on the island if you need a light lunch.
If you’re interested in Tall Things check out 5 Really Tall Things We’ve Been to the Top of.
