Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration

Loved this museum, definitely recommend! The Audio Guide is excellent and the displays in the various small rooms show every step the immigrants went through. You need to set aside an entire day for both Liberty and Ellis islands.

We started our New York experience with the Ellis Island and Statue tour. Understanding the history of this place and the stories of those leaving their country to seek freedom and a new beginning enriched my view when we were downtown Manhatten the next day. There is a walk through museum, a thirty minute movie, and a guided tour option. We watched the movie and toured the levels to learn about the role this island had in making America the melting pot it is. If we would have been more prepared we could have researched our family history to trace back my wife's roots in the library. Much to do here and could have spent more time for sure!

It was very cool to see a piece of history like this. There's plenty of pictures and exhibits to see. Walking in the same place people who immigrated to the US did was an experience. There are knowledgeable staff here that can answer questions. There's even a sleeping quarters set up like it would have been when the building was in use back in the day. You can also get great views of the lower Manhattan skyline from the shoreline. Just be sure to leave a few extra minutes to wait for the ferry to and from the island as the line can get quite long to board. Completely worth the visit.

I am so glad we made the trip. We had the best guide who talked us through the journey of an immigrant into the US during the time Ellis Island was used, including the medical and legal checks, right up to where families reunited at the end of the process. The guide was entertaining and friendly and encouraged questions from the group. Afterwards we were able to see the whole exhibition. The cafe was rather expensive and the food was quite basic but fine for a day trip.

My great-grandparents came through Ellis Island about 120 years ago. It moved me to stand in the same hall/on the same floor as they did so long ago. Very interesting exhibits and well done preservation. Well worth the visit.

Lovely museum with lots to see and learn. Be sure to plan your visit throughout the museum's three floors. Great exhibits displaying how immigrants were processed upon arrival through their release (or denial) into the US. The classic massive registration hall holds a lot of history and is a sight in itself. The registration lookup area contains computer terminals which you can reserve and use (for a $10 fee) where you can lookup those who have been processed there. There is a gift shop as well as a cafe in the museum.

Stopped over at Ellis Island after visiting the Statue of Liberty. A very informative museum on immigration history of NY. This island served as the first stop for immigrants from all of the world during the immigration boom period in the 1900s till 1924. After which, the immigration was closed due to a new law passed in parliament to mandate medical check ups to be done at the immigrants’ own country. There is also a 30 min documentary about how immigrants risked their lives in order to have a better life in the United States. Worth a go.

This is an amazing museum with a ton to learn and look at! It's filled with history and you may even find out one of your ancestors went through here. Definitely worth a visit!

Loved this museum, definitely recommend! The Audio Guide is excellent and the displays in the various small rooms show every step the immigrants went through. You need to set aside an entire day for both Liberty and Ellis islands.

We started our New York experience with the Ellis Island and Statue tour. Understanding the history of this place and the stories of those leaving their country to seek freedom and a new beginning enriched my view when we were downtown Manhatten the next day. There is a walk through museum, a thirty minute movie, and a guided tour option. We watched the movie and toured the levels to learn about the role this island had in making America the melting pot it is. If we would have been more prepared we could have researched our family history to trace back my wife's roots in the library. Much to do here and could have spent more time for sure!

It was very cool to see a piece of history like this. There's plenty of pictures and exhibits to see. Walking in the same place people who immigrated to the US did was an experience. There are knowledgeable staff here that can answer questions. There's even a sleeping quarters set up like it would have been when the building was in use back in the day. You can also get great views of the lower Manhattan skyline from the shoreline. Just be sure to leave a few extra minutes to wait for the ferry to and from the island as the line can get quite long to board. Completely worth the visit.

I am so glad we made the trip. We had the best guide who talked us through the journey of an immigrant into the US during the time Ellis Island was used, including the medical and legal checks, right up to where families reunited at the end of the process. The guide was entertaining and friendly and encouraged questions from the group. Afterwards we were able to see the whole exhibition. The cafe was rather expensive and the food was quite basic but fine for a day trip.

My great-grandparents came through Ellis Island about 120 years ago. It moved me to stand in the same hall/on the same floor as they did so long ago. Very interesting exhibits and well done preservation. Well worth the visit.

Lovely museum with lots to see and learn. Be sure to plan your visit throughout the museum's three floors. Great exhibits displaying how immigrants were processed upon arrival through their release (or denial) into the US. The classic massive registration hall holds a lot of history and is a sight in itself. The registration lookup area contains computer terminals which you can reserve and use (for a $10 fee) where you can lookup those who have been processed there. There is a gift shop as well as a cafe in the museum.

Stopped over at Ellis Island after visiting the Statue of Liberty. A very informative museum on immigration history of NY. This island served as the first stop for immigrants from all of the world during the immigration boom period in the 1900s till 1924. After which, the immigration was closed due to a new law passed in parliament to mandate medical check ups to be done at the immigrants’ own country. There is also a 30 min documentary about how immigrants risked their lives in order to have a better life in the United States. Worth a go.

This is an amazing museum with a ton to learn and look at! It's filled with history and you may even find out one of your ancestors went through here. Definitely worth a visit!

After attending the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration Parked At Home Talk on Thursday March 9, 2023, there is so much to be said. It was a pleasure to listen to Lauren share her experiences working at the museum. It is evident that she is passionate about what she does, as well as very educated about all the museum has to offer. She knew much about history as well as how the museum has evolved over time. She definitely made us want to visit and see the museum for ourselves. Throughout the talk, Lauren provided a history of Ellis Island, which was the first immigration building that opened to the public in 1892. She went on to explain what each building was used for. We learned that the Great Hall was where immigrants were either processed, admitted, or detained. The original hall actually burnt down in 1897, and rebuilt in 1900. If a person was attempting to be admitted, they underwent the inspection process. The inspection process consisted of ensuring the immigrants' papers were in order, and that they were also in good health to prevent the transmission of infections or diseases. If papers were not in order, or health was poor they were either sent for further examination or denied admission. It was fascinating to hear about the experiences these people had to go through in order to possibly become U.S. citizens. Lauren added to her presentation by going the extra mile, and including real photos of the buildings, immigrants arriving, being processed and departing Ellis Island. She also was able to show us real documents with real immigrant names on them which was very cool to see. We feel as though this personalized the talk even further. Immigrants came to Ellis island in hopes to gain freedom, liberty and opportunity, and over 26 million immigrants were fortunate enough to enter. If admitted, people either went to New York City or out west. Those unable to enter were unfortunately detained. This talk allowed us to see behind the scenes of what it was like for those who were able to enter the United States, as well as those who were not. The Statue of Liberty was also discussed throughout this talk. We were shown pictures of the statue in all of its glory as well. It was nice to listen to yet another person who is so passionate about important historical artifacts, and what they do everyday. One of our main takeaways was that the statue of liberty was a gift to the United States from France. The statue became known for its representation of freedom, liberty, and opportunity. It is actually made to depict Libertas, who is the Roman goddess of freedom. Lauren even showed us pictures that she personally took while visiting from all different locations! We really enjoyed learning more about these two important pieces of history, as we never fully learned the historical background in such great detail before. I would definitely recommend and attend another one of these chats! Thank you again Lauren and others for all your time, hardwork and dedication. Your passion is refreshing and rare to come by! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN3BC_4wXow