Ellis Island

Park Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:15 PM. Hours are adjusted seasonally and during holiday periods and weekends.

•Until July 4, 2009 there is no access beyond the top of the statue's pedestal.



The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and is one of the country's most popular historic sites. In 2001, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service, unveiled the American Family Immigration History Center®. This exciting family research facility at Ellis Island provides visitors with advanced computer and multimedia technology, printed materials, and professional assistance for investigating immigration history, family documentation, and genealogical exploration.


The Immigrant Experience Comes Alive
The museum is located in the Main Building of the former immigration station complex and tells the moving tales of the 12 million immigrants who entered America through the golden door of Ellis Island. Today, the descendants of those immigrants account for almost half of the American people.

Museum Highlights
· The museum’s self-guided exhibits chronicle Ellis Island's role in immigration history and include
artifacts, photographs, prints, videos, interactive displays, oral histories, and temporary exhibits.
· The American Family Immigration History Center®
· The American Immigrant Wall of Honor®
· Ellis Island Living Theater
· Award-winning film documentary "Island of Hope, Island of Tears"


The American Immigrant Wall of Honor®A special feature of the Ellis Island museum, the Wall of Honor overlooks the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline and is the longest wall of names in the world. This unique display pays tribute to America's rich cultural heritage, celebrating American immigration from its earliest beginnings right up to the present day, and contains more than 700,000 names inscribed for posterity by family members and friends.

The American Family Immigration History Center®This is an exciting interactive area at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. You can access the passenger records of the ships that landed some 22 million immigrants, crewmembers, and other passengers at the Port of New York and Ellis Island from 1892 to 1924. More than 100 million Americans may find records of their family's beginnings in the new world here. To prepare for your search, gather as much information as you can, such as: the passenger's first and last names; approximate year of arrival; "ethnicity" (which may include race, nationality, and religion); approximate age on arrival; ship of travel; port of departure; and whether the passenger traveled with other family members. Experienced volunteers can provide guidance so visitors can view manifests and ship images from their ancestor's journey.

Ellis Island Living Theater Presents…
”Taking a Chance on America: Bela Lugosi’s Ellis Island Story”
Due to popular demand, “Taking a Chance on America: Bela Lugosi’s Ellis Island Story” will reopen at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum’s intimate Living Theater for a limited run beginning April 25 through September 5. The play, written by playwright and screenwriter Aurorae Khoo, portrays the immigrant experience of legendary movie actor Bela Lugosi—best known for his portrayal of Count Dracula—and features a reenactment of the Ellis Island inspection process. The show also includes contemporary immigrant characters.

Produced and funded by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., this 30-minute show will be presented seven times daily. Times are 10:45; 11:30; 12:15; 1:00; 2:30; 3:15; and 4:00. Admission is $6.00. Reservations are accepted for groups of 10 or more. Since the theater seats 56 people, some groups may have to schedule multiple shows. (Please note that the National Park Service, which administers Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, requires one chaperone for every ten students.) Individuals without reservations are encouraged to purchase their tickets upon entering the museum.

It is recommended that show-goers purchase Reserve Tickets for the ferry, which allow ticket holders priority entry to security check-in and saves wait time. Flex Tickets are also available. For ferry information, call 1-877-LADY TIX (1-877-523-9849) or visit (www.statuecruises.com) Due to security procedures, it is suggested that show-goers arrive one hour before their scheduled ferry departure from Battery Park in New York or Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

For more information or to make reservations, contact The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation at 212-561-4500, ext. 0 or Theater@ellisisland.org.
To learn more about Bela Lugosi, please visit the actor’s website maintained by the Lugosi family at http://www.lugosi.com/.

The Performers employed in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Getting to Ellis Island
Ellis Island is one of the country's most important historic sites and also one of the most heavily visited monuments. Carefully planning your trip will make it more enjoyable. Statue Cruises provides ferry transportation to Ellis Island from Battery Park in New York and Liberty State Park in New Jersey from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, with extended hours in the summers. For ticket rates and availability and schedule information, call 1-877-LADY TIX or 1-877-523-9849 or visit www.statuecruises.com.