• Immigrants awaiting inspection in front of Ellis Island's Main Building

    Ellis Island

    Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument NJ,NY

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  • Ellis Island Closed Until Further Notice

    As of May 2013: Due to the conditions caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum will be closed until further notice. A projected reopening date has not yet been established, follow our twitter account for updates. More »

News Releases


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January 11, 2013
Ellis Island Museum Collection Moved to a Stable Environment
Over the past few weeks staff at Ellis Island, with support of the NPS Museum Emergency Response Team, carefully wrapped and boxed museum items to be transported for temporary storage at the NPS Museum Resources Center in Landover, Maryland.

May 16, 2012
Achieving a New Bench-mark: Students donate special project to Ellis Island
On May 19 at 11 a.m., students from Prattsburgh Central School will present the replica bench to the staff at Ellis Island in a special ceremony that will include a musical montage of patriotic songs performed by members of the school’s chorus and band.

May 16, 2012
Superintendent Receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Each May since 1986, the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) has gathered at Ellis Island to present the Ellis Island Medal of Honor to Americans who "exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives." This year’s honorees, who came from dozens of disciplines and career fields, included a number of recognizable faces, such as singer Frankie Valli, boxer Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-6th District), actress Brook Shields and Statue of Liberty National Monument Superintendent David Luchsinger.

Did You Know?

passenger manifest

Since the passage of the "Steerage Act of 1819", passenger manifests have been required for all arriving vessels to be delivered to the U.S. Government and reported to Congress.  This document, used for inspection at Ellis Island, has become an important starting point in researching family history.