NPS Holds First Public Night Tours of Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island
September 24 & 25 the NPS Invites the Public for Night Tours, Special Evening Programs Including Sneak Preview of Ken Burns’s “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” Kick-off Nationwide Celebration of the National Parks
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
New York, NY (September 9, 2009) – To kick-off the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation’s celebration of the national parks on September 26 — National Public Lands Day — the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island will for the first time, open to the public for a special evening tour and program event on September 24 and 25, 2009. As part of the festivities, attendees will experience a sneak preview of Ken Burns’s new documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea premiering on PBS the following evening.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for people to experience these iconic monuments in a new setting,” said Dave Luchsinger, Superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. “We hope that these two special events will help to illustrate how unique our National Park system is.”
Ellis Island will be open on Thursday, September 24 and Liberty Island open on Friday, September 25. Both nights boarding will take place at Statue Cruises’ boarding locations in Liberty State Park in Jersey City and Battery Park in Manhattan at 6:00 PM. Vessels will return at 9:00 PM.
Tickets are $29 per individual and include a voucher for a meal on the island. Meals will be distributed at each islands’ dining facilities. Vegetarian options will be available. Tickets can be purchased at www.statuecruises.com/night-tour.html or by calling 877-LADY TIX (877-523-9849).
The Great Hall on Ellis Island will be open for visitors who would like to explore the exhibits. On Liberty Island the Pedestal, Museum and Statue will not be open, but rangers will be stationed around the island providing interpretation and answering questions.
The special evening events on Ellis and Liberty Islands will kick-off a nationwide day of service and celebration on September 26th, National Public Lands Day. Together, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are inviting the public across the country to help make America’s Best Idea – the national parks – even better. Together, the national parks will welcome visitors and volunteers for this special day, and as thanks, present as sneak preview of Ken Burns’s new film, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. A full listing of park events – updated daily – is online at www.nps.gov/september26.
Statue Cruises is the concessioner authorized by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, to serve the public at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. Over 3.5 million annual visitors from around the world visit these two icons of freedom and hope. In addition to providing daily ferry service, Statue Cruises also operates special event cruises, private charters and the narrated Liberty Harbor Cruise – a 75-minute tour of the New York Harbor. For more information visit: www.statuecruises.com/pressroom.
The National Park Foundation is an independent charitable organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to strengthen the connection between the American people and their national parks. As the official national non-profit partner of America’s National Parks, the Foundation raises private funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and
increases public awareness about the need and opportunity for park philanthropy. In its 2008 fiscal year, the National Park Foundation distributed grants and program support of $27.3M. To learn more, visit www.nationalparks.org.
