• 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 »

Volunteer

Volunteer

Volunteer-In-Park (VIP)

NPS pHoto

Welcome to the Volunteer page for Ellis Island Immigration Museum, a part of Statue of Liberty National Monument!

The National Park Service has a long tradition of volunteerism. From "grass roots" groups advocating for the protection of a site to local residents supplementing a park's staff - ordinary people, from all walks of life, have the chance to get involved with their national parks in many meaningful ways. Some folks help out with a single big event, while others volunteer on a daily or weekly basis.

Come on out and see what you can do!

 

At Statue of Liberty National Monument, we have a number of volunteer opportunities on both Liberty Island and Ellis Island, including:

-Transcribing and translating sound recordings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Ellis Island);

-Providing visitor services such as giving directions, answering visitors' questions, and presenting programs (Liberty and Ellis Islands).

You may also be able to volunteer in the Research Library at Ellis Island, assist with historical preservation, or work with our maintenance staff.

For more information about these volunteer opportunities and contact information, go to www.volunteer.gov/gov and use "Statue of Liberty National Monument" as the key word.

Don't live in the New York/New Jersey area? That's okay - there are volunteer opportunities throughout the National Park Service. You can find a place to volunteer here; be sure to download the Volunteer Brochure (to learn more about the V-I-P (Volunteers-In-Parks) program), and the Volunteer Application!

Did You Know?

Great Hall circa 1900

In its time, Ellis Island was the busiest federal immigration station in America. In 1907, Ellis Island processed 1,004,756 immigrants, a record number for the Immigration stations. April 17, 1907 was the Island's busiest day,  when 11,747 immigrants were processed.  Today, the US Customs and Border Protection processes over 700,000 visitors daily through 326 official Ports of Entry. More...