Statue of Liberty Tickets
The most exclusive ticket in NYC are Statue of Liberty tickets for INSIDE the Statue of Liberty Museum and there is only ONE way to get this reservation. Do not confuse Statue of Liberty tickets with Statue of Liberty boat tours to Liberty Island to walk the Liberty Grounds.
Statue of Liberty Museum
If visiting the Statue of Liberty and getting inside the Statue of Liberty Museum and/or climbing Lady Liberty's Crown is important to you, then stop right here and reserve your Statue of Liberty tickets (Monument Access Pass), either with or without $3.00 Crown Access now!
Liberty Island and Ellis Island are two different islands off the southern tip of Manhattan. The guides recommend 2.5-3 hours to see one island or 5-6 hours to see both. As of July 4, 2009, Lady Liberty has re-opened her Crown for us to climb (closed after terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001).
Getting to Liberty and Ellis Islands is easy and the Ferry Boat costs $12. Getting Statue of Liberty tickets, or a reservation, to actually enter the Statue of Liberty Museum, which costs $0, is the difficult part and usually booked 3 or more months in advance. Reservations for Statue of Liberty Tours are accepted up to one year in advance. Make sure to check for elevator outages, or be prepared to climb 168 steps to get to the Museum (different than climbing the crown).
Skipping Step 3? Continue to New York City Broadway Tickets.
Reservation Success
Great, now that you have Statue of Liberty tickets, you can plan your itinerary around visiting the Statue of Liberty and also note to yourself, when evaluating any Tours, Bus Tours and Attractions Passes, you have already paid the $12 Ferry fee and secured your spot on the Priority Security Line.
Statue of Liberty Tickets Not Available
No problem! There are still many options to view the Statue of Liberty, go to Liberty Island and walk around the grounds and/or see one of NYC's best attractions, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
- If you really want to see inside Lady Liberty, try for Statue of Liberty tickets at the main ticket booth, available on a first come first serve basis.
- Try to secure Statue of Liberty Tickets from Liberty State Park (the New Jersey side). You will have to take PATH train from NYC to board the Ferry, but you can take the ferry back to Battery Park City.
- See her up close from the water, by taking the FREE Staten Island Ferry.
- Buy a Ferry ticket (Flex Pass) or use the Ferry Pass included in all the sightseeing discount passes, to go to Liberty Island (to walk around) and Ellis Island, including the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which is well worth seeing!
- See the original sonnet Statue of Liberty Inscription (The New Colossus) at the American Jewish Historical Society.
Staten Island Ferry
Statue of Liberty from Staten Island Ferry
If Statue of Liberty tickets are not an option, then the Staten Island Ferry is a great choice for those with less patience for lines and Musems. Kids love the SI Ferry. It's free, passes very close to Lady Liberty, runs every 30 minutes and takes approximately 25 minutes each way.
NYC Insider note: 1, 4, 5, N, R subway lines as well as the M1, M6 and M15 bus lines., Exit South Ferry, Whitehall Terminal is the Manhattan port and St. George Terminal is the Staten Island port, 4 South Street.
NYC's Best View of the Statue of Liberty
View of the Statue of Liberty from RISE
Update: RISE is now only open for private events. Stay tuned while I research other views of Lady Liberty.
The view from RISE is spectacular! Head to the 14th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Battery Park City, spend the $12 on a martini, and take in the sunset over the Statue of Liberty and panoramic views of the NYC Skyline.
Definitely try the "New Yorker" three tier platter, especially fun for kids!
The mini hot dogs, hamburgers, pastrami sandwiches, pizza and deli sandwiches offer a great taste of NYC's classics! Call for hours - they open around 4pm.
Statue of Liberty Inscription
"Give me your tired, your poor..."
Statue of Liberty Inscription, "The New Colossus"
The "New Colossus," written by Emma Lazarus in 1883, was memorialized in 1903 with a bronze plaque placed on the inner walls of the Statue's pedestal. It is currently displayed in the Statue of Liberty exhibit. The original handwritten sonnet is housed at the American Jewish Historical Society.
The New Colossus
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"
cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your
poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
—Emma Lazarus, 1883
Read more about seeing the original Statue of Liberty sonnet free!
Statue of Liberty Tickets and Security Screenings
There are two screening points to get to Liberty Island, once you have Statue of Liberty Tickets. The first is to get onto the Ferry and a second to get into the Museum. Wait time to go through the first security and screening process is usually 45-60 minutes. There is NO WAY to shortcut this line other than have a Reserved Monument Access Pass.
All visitors, regardless of their type of Statue of Liberty tickets, are permitted to visit the Liberty Island grounds and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
Ferry Fees:
$12.00 Ages 13+
$10.00 Seniors 62 and over
$5.00 Children 4-12
Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island are located in Lower New York Harbor, slightly over one mile from Lower Manhattan. Liberty and Ellis Islands are accessible by ferry service only.
Do know someone who would enjoy the Statue of Liberty?
Related Trip Planning Pages: How to Plan a NYC Vacation, Cheapest Flights to New York, Hotel Deals, Statue of Liberty, New York City Broadway Tickets, New York City Bus Tour, New York City Sightseeing Discounts, More Things to do in NYC, Getting around NYC, Arriving in New York City, Discounts and Coupons, NYC Insider Printable Guide
Nearby Attractions: Wall Street, Financial District, City Hall, South Street Seaport, Battery Park City.
Return from Statue of Liberty Tickets to New York City Vacation
Return from Statue of Liberty to New York City Tourist Attractions
Return to New York City Travel Guide Home Page
Thank you for visiting the NYC Insider Guide ...welcome to our city and I hope you love it as much as I do!
- 
Welcome to New York City!
