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Ellis Island, New York City

4.3

#3 of 120 in Historic Sites in New York City

Historic Site History Museum

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Hear the tales of the 12 million immigrants who passed through Ellis Island when it served as the nation's busiest immigration inspection station, from 1892 to 1954. The immigration museum, housed in the station's main building, reveals details about the immigrants who came to the island and the staff who worked there. You can view informative displays, a short film, photos, art, and personal artifacts. Outside the museum, read the wall of honor for a partial list of the immigrants processed here. Before boarding a ferry to the island, be prepared for a thorough security check; sharp objects and large bags are forbidden. Purchase ferry tickets in advance to avoid waiting in long lines. A visit to Ellis Island represents just the start of the adventure when you use our New York City trip itinerary planning app to plot your vacation.

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Ellis Island Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

7,032 reviews

Google

4.5

• By D3020XDjoannes

  We visited Ellis Island as part of a bus tour. We only had an hour there, a quarter of which was spent in line for the ferry. This was nearly enough time to go through the tours. There are videos in a...  more »

• By erikak22

  There were some things out of order that made me rate it lower. I feel like it affected our overall experience.  more »

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Google

• By Timos Charlaftis

  A must see experience even if you don’t have relatives who migrated to the US. Bare in mind that this country was practically built by migrants and this is one of the most important milestones of its history. The museum is so original that is makes you feel like you were there when it was all happening.

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• By Willow Lennard

  What a fascinating place, steeped in history & quite tear-jerking at times. Beautiful island, intriguing architecture & a place I’m eager to take my husband to visit.

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