September 9, 2009, 5:35 pm
For two nights only, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will open at night as part of National Park Week.
To kick-off the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation’s celebration of the national parks on September 26 -- National Public Lands Day -- the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island will for the first time, open to the public for a special evening tour and program event on September 24 and 25, 2009. As part of the festivities, attendees will experience a sneak preview of Ken Burns’s new documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea premiering on PBS the following evening.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for people to experience these iconic monuments in a new setting,” said Dave Luchsinger, Superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. “We hope that these two special events will help to illustrate how unique our National Park system is.”
Ellis Island will be open on Thursday, September 24 and Liberty Island open on Friday, September 25. Both nights boarding will take place at Statue Cruises’ boarding locations in Liberty State Park in Jersey City and Battery Park in Manhattan at 6 p.m. Vessels will return at 9 p.m.
Tickets are $29 per individual and include a voucher for a meal on the island. Meals will be distributed at each islands’ dining facilities. Vegetarian options will be available. Tickets can be purchased at
www.statuecruises.com/night-tour.html or by calling (877) LADY-TIX (877-523-9849).
The Great Hall on Ellis Island will be open for visitors who would like to explore the exhibits. On Liberty Island the Pedestal, Museum and Statue will not be open, but rangers will be stationed around the island providing interpretation and answering questions.
The special evening events on Ellis and Liberty Islands will kick-off a nationwide day of service and celebration on September 26th, National Public Lands Day. Together, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are inviting the public across the country to help make America’s Best Idea – the national parks – even better. Together, the national parks will welcome visitors and volunteers for this special day, and as thanks, present as sneak preview of Ken Burns’s new film, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. A full listing of park events--updated daily--is online at:
www.nps.gov/september26
