Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Ellis Island is a small island situated in the New York Harbor, between Manhattan and the Liberty Island. It is the symbol of America’s immigrant history. Between 1892 and 1954 nearly 12 million people came here in search of freedom.

The building where all the immigrants were “filtered” has been preserved under management of the National Park Service. The main building was restored after 30 years of abandonment and opened as a museum on September 10, 1990. It was the largest historic restoration in the United States history, funded and directed by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation from 1985-1990. The restoration, in which the ruins were transformed into a national museum of immigration, cost 156 million dollars.

The building of the Museum is an imposing French Renaissance Revival structure designed by Boring and Tilton. It was built in 1900 and restored to its appearance in 1918 – 1924. Bricks used for the construction were laid in Flemish bond and trimmed with limestone and granite. Triple-arch entrances that rose well into the second story marked the east and west sides in a grand style.

The museum is self-guided with three floors of displays and exhibits detailing the history of immigration processing. One can find here archives, photos and recordings. A great introduction to the museum is a 30-minutes long documentary film “Island of Hope, Island of Tears”. The aura of Great Hall which served as the waiting and processing room molds the atmosphere.

The Immigrant Wall of Honor a circular monument containing 200,000 names commemorated by their ancestors cannot be missed. A popular exhibit at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum is also the American Immigrant Wall of Honor located outdoors. It honors America's immigrants. Currently there are over 600,000 names inscribed on it.