Statue of Liberty to Close Again for Renovations

New York City's Statue of Liberty has had a long and storied history since it was originally opened in June of 1886.  Part of that history includes periods of time when Lady Liberty was closed for renovations.

Well, another renovation will take place later this year.

Starting October 29th, one day after the celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, the interior of the statue, pedestal and fort at the base of the statue will be closed.  The renovation project is scheduled to last for one year.  The $27.25 million renovation will install code compliant stairways within the monument, update mechanical, electrical and fire suppression systems, replace the elevators, and rehabilitate restrooms. The improvements will also allow for increased visitor access to the monument, including the pedestal and the museum.

I've been to the Statue of Liberty twice and was in awe of Lady Liberty both times.

The first time was in 1987 during a family vacation that also took us through upstate New York to Lake Placid, then through New England, stopping at the Salem Witch Museum (something scary for a young kid to see), continuing though Maine and ending in Nova Scotia, Canada.  From what I remember, we walked the hundreds and hundreds of steps to not just get through the pedestal of the statue, but also to the crown.  At that point a renovation had been completed a year prior and seeing the statue was a big deal.

The second time I went to the Statue of Liberty was during a high school band trip in 1998 where my school had the honor to play in a contest at Carnegie Hall.  This time, our group only went up to the pedestal, but it was still an impressive view of the island and New York City.

I hope this newest renovation will be a success, because the statue is something every American should see, and experience.