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A gift from France in 1886 in recognition of the friendship established between the Americans and the French during the American Revolution, the Statue of Liberty may be the most recognizable statue in the world and is an icon of freedom and opportunity for immigrants to the U.S. Standing 305 feet from the ground to the tip of her torch, Lady Liberty has welcomed immigrants and visitors to New York for well over a century with the lofty words carved into the base: "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!" Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Statue closed and underwent a massive overhaul, reopening in early August 2004 with a more secure and visitor-friendly version of the familiar landmark. But there's a catch—access to the upper levels is no longer available. A glass covering blocks off the statue’s upper reaches. Still, the vastly improved lighting makes it possible to see all the way up to the crown without huffing and puffing up the narrow flights of stairs. Liberty Island remains accessible from Battery Park in Manhattan and Liberty Park in New Jersey. While the ferry ticket still covers admission to the park and nearby Ellis Island, additional tickets are needed for the new observatory and promenade tours. There's no ticket fee, but calling to reserve a spot is highly recommended as they fill up rapidly. — Mike Sanfilippo

The excellent Statue of Liberty Museum still encases the original torch, a wonder of glass and steel. The core of the museum, the Statue of Liberty exhibit, is located on the second floor in the pedestal of the Statue and was offers historical context, photos, prints, videos, and oral histories of the people who came to these shores.

Tours
All ranger-guided tours are free, but require time-stamped tickets, which can be reserved by calling 866-782-8834. The Promenade Tour lasts about 20-30 minutes and includes a trip through the momument's lobby and to the lower promenade and Fort Wood; the Observatory Tour includes the Promenade Tour as well as visit to the pedestal observation platform.