Attraction · New York
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: free entry days, tickets & hours
Bartholdi's copper statue on Liberty Island and the immigration museum on Ellis Island, reached only by the official Statue City Cruises ferry from Battery Park or Liberty State Park.
Independent guide, not the official Statue of Liberty website. Official links are under Sources.
Statue of Liberty is free for some visitors, not for everyone.
- Free for: Children 3 and under ride the official ferry free (no ticket needed).
- Otherwise: statue City Cruises General Admission ferry ticket, adult 13+ — $26.
Before you go
How to actually get in for free
- The monument itself has no entrance fee, but the only way onto Liberty Island is the paid Statue City Cruises ferry.
- Buy only from Statue City Cruises (online or the office inside Castle Clinton); street sellers near The Battery are not authorised.
- For a free look at the statue from the water, ride the free Staten Island Ferry instead (see its own page) - it does not stop at Liberty Island.
- Ranger-led programs on the islands are free once you are there.
- With a 2pm or later ferry you will likely have time for only one island.
All free options
Who gets in free, and when
| Free option | Who | Conditions | Book? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free forChildren 3 and under ride the official ferry free (no ticket needed) | children under 4 | Under-4s may not enter the Crown; Crown visitors must be at least 42 in (1.1 m) tall. | No |
Official prices
Statue of Liberty ticket prices
| Statue City Cruises General Admission ferry ticket, adult 13+ — The National Park Service charges no entrance fee; the price is the round-trip ferry (Liberty + Ellis Island, audio tour included). Senior 62+ $23, child 4-12 $17 (NPS) / $17.30 (Statue City Cruises). Pedestal Reserve and Crown Reserve add $0.30 and must be booked separately, often months ahead. NPS fee-free days and America the Beautiful passes do not cover the ferry. | $26 |
| Crown Reserve ticket, adult — 162 steps up a tight spiral to the 25 crown windows; sells out months ahead. | $26.30 |
| Pedestal Reserve ticket, adult | $26.30 |
| Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour, adult (ages 13+) — Guided tour of the abandoned hospital complex on Ellis Island's South Side. | $81 |
Prices from the official website, checked Oct 2026. Free options are listed above.
Worth timing your visit?
What a free day saves
Based on the official price (statue city cruises general admission ferry ticket, adult 13+). Free days are busier — if your dates don't line up, a timed ticket is the trade-off.
Tickets & tours
Best-rated tickets and tours: Statue of Liberty
CruiseNYC Statue City Cruises: Official Statue of Liberty Tickets★★★★★ 4.6 · 21k reviews5 hoursfrom $32.50
Timed-entry ticketStatue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tickets★★★★☆ 4.3 · 3.7k reviewsfrom $33.09
Timed-entry ticketStatue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Entry Ticket + Roundtrip Ferry from Manhattan★★★★★ 4.6 · 2.3k reviewsfrom $28
CruiseStatue of Liberty Sunset Cruise★★★★☆ 4.4 · 1.9k reviewsfrom $34
Guided tourNYC: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Guided Tour with Ferry★★★★☆ 4.2 · 1.8k reviews4 hoursfrom $49
Guided tourStatue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and 9/11 Memorial Pools Guided Tour★★★★☆ 4.3 · 1.2k reviewsfrom $154.99
Ratings and prices from the booking partners; prices may change.
Practical
Opening hours & how to get there
Access only by Statue City Cruises ferry from Battery Park (NYC) or Liberty State Park (NJ); see the ferry schedule for departure times. One ticket covers both islands.
Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004, USA
FAQ
Statue of Liberty: common questions
Is Statue of Liberty free?
Statue of Liberty has no free entry for everyone. Also free: Children 3 and under ride the official ferry free (no ticket needed). Otherwise the official ticket costs $26.
Who gets free entry to Statue of Liberty?
Children under 4 — under-4s may not enter the Crown; Crown visitors must be at least 42 in (1.1 m) tall..
How much is a ticket to Statue of Liberty?
Statue City Cruises General Admission ferry ticket, adult 13+ costs $26 on the official site.
Visitor reviews
What visitors say about Statue of Liberty
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Sources
Where this comes from
- statuecitycruises.com/faq · checked Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Every free rule is checked against the official source and re-checked on a schedule. Spotted a change? Tell us.