Visit two of the world’s most recognized New York landmarks—the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island—on a ferry from The Battery, the birthplace of New York City.
Statue Cruises offers daily ferries from The Battery to these national monuments. Before or after your cruise, explore The Battery’s perennial gardens, take a ride on the SeaGlass Carousel, or enjoy a meal or beverage from one of our on-site cafes. Purchase tickets online or inside Castle Clinton National Monument. While there, be sure to visit The Exhibit Room to see the transformation of the park and Castle over the past 200 years.
From 1855 to 1890, the State of New York processed immigrants at Castle Garden Emigrant Depot in The Battery. Eight million immigrants came through Castle Garden between 1855 and 1890, and 12 million came through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. The United States government took over responsibility for immigration and began construction of an immigration depot on Ellis Island in 1891.
The Statue “Liberty Enlightening the World,” sculpted by Frédéric August Bartholdi and engineered by Gustave Eiffel, is a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. The French funded and built the Statue, beginning in the 1870s. The United States was responsible for providing a site— Bedloe’s Island (now “Liberty Island”) in Upper New York Bay—and a pedestal. President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty on October 28, 1886.
Raising money for the pedestal proved difficult in the early 1880s. In 1883, poet Emma Lazarus composed a sonnet, “The New Colossus,” for the “Art Loan Fund Exhibition in Aid of the Bartholdi Pedestal Fund for the Statue of Liberty.” Following this fundraiser, Joseph Pulitzer published the text in his New York World newspaper. Pulitzer, a Hungarian immigrant, went on to urge his readers to contribute to the pedestal, printing the name of every donor and raising more than $100,000 in gifts as small as five cents. The poem is featured on both the Memorial Plaque at The Battery and the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.
Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed the Statue’s pedestal, which features a Stony Creek granite facade. Over a century later, the Conservancy ensured that the same stone from the same quarry would be used to construct benches along The Battery’s promenade and the seating wall that separates The Battery Bikeway from the park’s perimeter sidewalk.
New York City’s iconic skyline is best seen from the deck of Clipper City, a tall ship docked at Gangway 2 on The Battery Promenade.
Clipper City sails during fair sailing weather. Learn more about their program and rates here.
See the harbor sights from the New York Water Taxi departing from The Battery’s Gangway 6 daily from 10:40 am to 6:10 pm. For route and fares, click here
Peter Minuit Plaza has many roles: park, transportation hub, and New York’s point of origin. Stroll through the scenic plaza to board the free Staten Island Ferry.
Learn More195,000 square feet of perennial gardens, free to the public. Relax and engage with nature. Be energized by the beauty and tranquility of these magnificent gardens.
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