Assistive hearing loop
Yes
Ellis Island in New York
Categories
Location on the map
New York, New York County, New York, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Comments (199)
A great place to visit. Incredible structure indegrety for the building as well.Long lines for ferry boats, but they are probably doing the best they are able. Reserved times on tickets dont seem to matter much, as long as you have a ticket. Make sure you take list of names you want to look up, if you are interested.
This place shows us most the history of USA, process of peopleling America, inmigration and more. Beautiful island, with resting spot, clean restrooms. Be aware that if you buy tickets for departing at 2pm you wont be able to visit this island.
Ellis Island is a very big part of history and there is a lot of things to see and many stories to be read about the millions of people who past through during the years that it was open. On a nice day you get a very nice view of manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. The gift shop is nice and there you can buy lots of different trinkets and books. The boat ride there is sort of comfortable if the water is calm, on the boat there is sort of a cafe that has different stuff
Amazing piece of history thats very much a must-see when visiting the New York City area. We spent several hours walking around, soaking everything in. Audio tours are available at the door. The environment is very casual, and there is plenty of outdoor space to relax, picnic, and get pictures of the NYC skyline.
Place that you should visit when you take liberty ferry..! Its a historical place. You should visit the museum the audio guide is very helpful, history is articulated in a very good manner, you need to spend some quality time here to get the best of it. This island also has a good view of NYC skyline.
If you like history what made America a super nation by all immigrants living side by side in harmony then Ellis Island is a ToDo when in New York. Would book tickets in advance as the queue are enormous! Enjoy and get a flashback into history and your roots if your background is one of nations of immigrants...UK, Irish, Polish, Italian, Hungarian, Dutch, etc etc
Three stories of museum to explore. There is so much to take in, so get there early if you want to see all of it. Restrooms were clean, gift shop prices are reasonable (dont but souvenirs on the ferry. Wait until you get to the Island). Lots of iconic photo opportunities on the ferry ride to and from Liberty and Ellis Island.
Outstanding historical treasure with very friendly, knowledgeable park rangers and docents. Expect to spend several hours here, uncovering the true story of immigration to the US. Do know that they are serious about closing on time and your catching the last boat back. There is serious security here.
Really cool place to discover your heritage. Had a great time before heading off to see the statue. Before leaving make sure to find your last name to do some digging when you get back home!Friendly staff and really clean!
Ellis Island is a must see, especially if you have family that once came through here. This island is the point of entry for some 12 million immigrants! If you are history buffs like we are, we highly recommend taking the ferry to both ellis island and the statue of liberty. Be sure to allocate at-least 2-3 hours for here.
Very informative and clean. Pleasant visit.If you plan to visit go to their website to get your ferry ticket to hop into the island. Other ferries are not allowed to dock to these islands but only be cruise around the island
I enjoyed the ferry trip to Ellis Island. Seeing the Immigration Hall and hearing all the stories from the individuals who migrated there was very interesting and touching. Listening to them almost made it feel like you were there, experiencing what they were going through, it made me grateful to be living in the era and place that I am today. Definitely plan on arriving early so that you can explore everything, there is a lot to see.
We’re a nation built, bred, and bolstered by immigrants. Before, today, and tomorrow. Never forget your roots and continue to extend them to others looking to plant their own.
Island has museum, explains the creation of the United States of America. How people from the world migrated to country, history of building of country till date. The museum has 3 sections and takes few hours to watch. The best part is they have audio tours, and best explains in multiple language
Spotted this place while in the ferry to see statue of liberty. Unfortunately we couldnt go inside as it closed due to holiday. However I am glad we stopped there as the place is breathtakingly beautiful. If you are in New York or NJ this place is a must visit as the view is spectacular.
Interesting museum to visit as it gives an insight into how many peoples ancestors began their new lives in America. Tour provides very detailed information about the process of immigration up to 1924.10 out of 10 from us.
Plan to spent 2-3 hours on the island, the place is full of history. I would recommend getting the audio tour. The audio tour takes you through the process that the immigrants had to go through a 100 years ago. Take the time to listen to the stories of some of the people that entered our great country, and everything they had to go through.The restoration of the building is amazing
Very interesting museum .The restaurant is a different type of experience. If you want to eat there try not to go at peek times as the staff do there best but there are such long queues. If you are limited for time dont bother with it you really wont have missed to much
Make sure you go to museum while waiting for another boat, or you ll miss great piece of historyWe rode a ferry to the statue of liberty and then to Ellis Island. There was a lot of history and artifacts. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and told interesting stories. This museum explains how slaves/immigrants come from other parts of the world to the USA and this was only port of entry at that time. Pictures on the wall/LED Tv are explaining timelines of this migration very well. at one point this place was overflowing with people. In the theater, upstairs they show a quick educational film with lots of footage, interviews, and photographs of immigrants and the conditions they lived in.Liberty park from where you took the boat, have abandoned railway station and in old time, that was big grand terminal.The building is well marked as to which room you are entering and what took place. There are three levels of this museum. The self-guided audio tour is not that organized and I kept on looking for mentioned rooms. The restrooms here are also so old and vintage and kept in pretty good condition after all these years. This place makes you think about current events and how fortunate we are.
When i visited Ellis Island,it was gooood weather so i can enjoy watching a museum in detail. Restroom is clean. Everything is okay! I wanna visit again after coronavirus is gone. Without wearing a mask. 😷I am sure Its rewarding place for myself to think over history well. Have a lovely day!
Ellis island and statue of liberty was awesome! Highly recommend you not signing up to online purchasing of tickets. You can totally go to the official spot for buying tickets right in FIDI by the docks.It was funny because people would be lining up in lines that were full. We saw there were two empty lines at the edge of the ticket location and saved ourselves 20 min.
So much to learn about here! Totally recommend buying the hospital tour tickets in advance. We didnt and it was sold out. Just so happened I checked on the island and someone didnt show up so we were able to buy the tickets there and take their place. Our tour guide was so informed and could provide us a ton of info!
It was for me a very amazing place with lots of stories and things to watch. Its a must have to go there. I saw a lots of people who were staying in the Ferry and dont want to go there. They miss a really great place.
Another historic place.... not only to the USA but to entire world.People in search of prosperity from many parts of the globe traveled hard and landed seeking opportunities in the unknown but hope island.It has seen greedy, helpless, enthusiastic, adventurous......all sorts of people stepping their foot in it.See this place in that angle.... you can hear the voices from the walls of these buildings.A must see place... and kids to be made known of the past.
Amazing, spotless grounds. Awe inspiring architecture by itself, but all the more impressive of a site considering its significance in our history. Well put together Museum of Immigration.
Must visit the museum and all its history. You can spend hours there being fascinated and intrigued.The ferry ride over is nice.Make sure you take in the beauty and awe of the whole experience.
Very important place to visit, not to forget about story, and also to undercover questions, related to immigrants, which deserve to be deepened. Especially nowadays. Getting to the Island, by ferry, from New York, is very easy and fast.
If you visit NYC, I strongly suggest to visit this amazing island. Ellis Island is an artificial island located just near Liberty Island. Here at Ellis Island is located the National Museum of Immigration on which you can see the real immigration history of United States and related tools, instruments really used to check the immigrants just landed here many years ago. You can reach this island with an official cruise (tickets sold on Castel Clinton, Battery Park). There are many cruises that departs every 20 minutes (from NYC, Liberty Island and Ellis Island for come back). From Ellis Island you can enjoy a stunning view of NYC Skyline (lower Manhattan) and Liberty Statue. Really suggest it!
Being here is like stepping back in history, as if the time has stood still. The ceramic tiled corridors feel like the quiet witnesses of the stories of all the people who walked through these. Even the restrooms look like well preserved another era, white marble, old washbasins, big windows...
Ellis Island is a place with a really rich history.I have been to Ellis Island on a really rainy day. So at the statue of liberty it was quite cold.After the statue we got to the Ellis Island museum.The museum is beautiful, really organized and has a lot of information told in a fun way!The museum is really nice on rainy days, even though you have to go with the boat.We spended almost the whole day at Ellis Island.When we got back with the boat we werent expecting a lot of sight.But nothing was less true, in the fog we saw Manhattan with all her beautiful lights turning up out of the fog, almost as if Manhattan was flying!We loved it
Very informative experience! I started fairly late at around 2 pm. The ferry stops first at Liberty Island, I got off at Ellis Island at around 3:50 pm and hat roughly an hour to explore the Museum. It closes at 5 pm.The audio guide was good, gave a great impression of how an immigrant would feel like when he arrived here and went through the immigration process.I liked the museum, the weather was also perfect. What I didnt like was the fact that you always stop at Liberty Island first, so you have a fairly long ferry trip before entering the Ellis Island Museum.
An awesome visit for those who wish to learn a little bit more about New York City from a unique and often overlooked perspective. Ellis Island tells the story, often through first person accounts , of Americas massive immigration centre. Tickets come in a package with a visit to Liberty Island and include audio tours for both and offer some of the best views of the famous skyline. My recommendation would be to go later in the evening and catch the last ferry back from Ellis Island in winter for some great night time shots of the city, but rug up because it will be crisp. Truly an amazing experience not to be missed.
Very nice museum. Not unusually busy but definitely about a 1 to 2 hour visit. There are a lot of exhibits to see, about 3 floors, there is a movie theater that goes over Ellis island purpose and procedure.
I enjoyed the trip to Ellis Island. The immigration museum was very interesting and comprehensive, as well.
Ellis island is a great stop if you are headed to the statue of liberty, you need to stop here. The history is amazing. If you do a little digging on family search you might even be able to find ancestors who passed through when it was an immigration station.
So much history in such a BEAUTIFUL building. Learned so much I didnt know. I was surprised how well my little one behaved since this was an hour long tour as part of a 4 hour that included the statue of liberty. I know what your thinking, 4 hours👎. Surprisingly it didnt feel like that. Between the boat rides and security. The time went very fast.ANOTHER MUST!!!
I think this is the best value attraction of NY. For only 18 $ you take the ferry through the bay, get to Liberty Island (audio guide included, inside of Statue not included), and finally the spectacular Ellis Island (audio guide included).Consider almost half a day.Great panorama aswell.
Ellis Island has such interesting and important place of history that really defines the United States. If you can take the time to visit, its worth your while. It is excellently preserved and there is so much more you can learn being there, rather than just reading about it.
Amazing. I did the Hard Hat tour which gives you an inside look behind the scenes, (hospital). Worth every penny. However, if your a photographer time is limited. Youll want to take the photography tour which is a lot more but your not rushed and no kids lol.
Beautiful site. Got to do a history search for my husbands paternal grandfather. It was a neat experience.
What a beautiful historical island to visit. Went there with the family and had an amazing adventure. Its a trip for all ages, has food and souvenirs, and also educational. I highly recommend everyone go upstairs and take your time reading to understanding the process of old ways. Even if youre not a fan of history, as myself, it is still quiet the experience. A low costly one at that. Then take the boat over to the Statue of Liberty.
It’s a busy place with manny people moving around.We should use boat to reach the island.We can get view of New York and New Jersey and bridge.The tourists came to visit New York will definitely come here. To see and take a snap on the Bridge. The view is magnificent
My son has been driving me crazy since he learned about the statue of liberty 🗽 that his dream was to go visit! Today we made his dream come true even though we came do to a death in our family i couldnt bring him to NY and not take him to the statue so here he is and loved every moment of it
Much more interesting and fascinating than Liberty Island. Make sure to avoid the main audio tour (The Ellis Expierence) when its too crowded and take one of the two additional ones (Journeys: The Peopling of America or Journeys: New Eras of Immigration) in order to get some space to breath. ;)
Havent been here in forever, but its cool seeing such an interesting piece of history. If you can, make sure to go to the 3rd floor because it has a detailed history of the island. It talks about how it started as a tiny little thing, and they slowly built the other islands before connecting the 2nd and 3rd islands to make the modern layout. It also talks about how they abandoned the island in the 1950s and it sat in ruin for nearly 30 years. Next time I want to take the hardhat tour, where they walk you over to the second island and take you through the old hospital and quarantine areas that havent been renovated yet. Be prepared to spend all day here if you really want to take in and appreciate everything it has to offer.
Museum of the erstwhile Immigration point for entry to America....Wonderful place 2 floors I guess. with sprawling halls, libraries, photographs, writings, boxes, portraits, lined out with detailed information and the audio guide which is already included in your ferry ticket...hands out huge information and makes it interesting, reflects on how people were screened and how the ways have changed now....Wash rooms, elevators and staircase......expect lot of walking....from here you can go back to NY or the ferry could drop you off at NJ near the Empty space memorial..... which is worthwhile to visit and you may save time travelling from NY back if u live in NJ already.....
Beautiful island!I wanted to drop off from the ship and look around, but I couldn’t because of my schedule.
Such an amazing piece of our countrys history! Every citizen should have the chance to visit!
Brilliant audio tour describing the beginning of immigration to New York and the rest of USWort every penny you pay forThe food served in the canteen on the island isn’t really good ! You may still feel like back in beginning of 20th century though
The staff move efficiently to maintain the movement of the large groups of visitors that come here, no small feat, especially given the diversity of the crowd.
A must on a trip to New York. If you are into the history of the USA this is for you. If not it is still worth a visit. The buildings and grounds are beautiful. The views from the ferry going to and from the island are some of the best in New York.
I had no idea the information on Ellis Island was so in depth. You can literally spend a few days here taking all of the tours and learning about the history of this place. I highly recommend allowing yourself some time to check it out and using the complimentary audio guide devices!
Ellis island is a staple when visiting New York. I highly recommend the hard hat tour to get a behind the scenes look at Ellis Island. Its pricey, but it is well worth the cost and helps to conserve this historical site.
Such a great experience to visit a place filled with such history.
I loved the Ellis Island Museum and its sorroundings. The museum exhibits very interesting facts, documents, movies, and audio records of the decades of the migration from Europe and Asia to the USA. it is a must not just for tourists but for all those interested in sociology and migration topics.The island offers espectacular views to Liberty Island and to New York city skyline, specially in the afternoon at sunset.
A fantastic trip, spent a whole day on Ellis island, if you have the money I highly recommend going on the hard hat tour. Our guide Nick was great, very informative and humorous when appropriate
A great place to visit and learn about America largest immigration period. The Park is immaculate and powerful. It doesn’t feel real to stand in a room that 12 million people Immigrated through over 100 years ago.The audio tour is very educational, bring your own headphones so you don’t have to hold the device up to your ear the entire time.
It was a nice experience coming here to this place. But I was a little saddened because I know that although Ellis island was where had to pass through to be grant stay in the states not all immigrants were treated justly. It also speaks relativity about the way immigrants are being treated in todays society.
This place is so rich in history this is a beautiful landmark to be able to walk where hundreds of thousands of other people started realizing America is such an honor this place has several different types of Tours you can also look up the history of your family and to have artifacts from the past you can walk through most of it for free the building is still original from the 1920s for the most part theres several different floors to go through you dont want to miss this its a great exhibit you could spend a couple of hours here easily enjoy yourself
Never in my life have I been so proud to be an American citizen. Something I have always taken for granted became so clear to me as I walked through these corridors, looking at the history of my country and the people from all over the world that sacrificed everything to come to a land that they had only heard of - with dreams of building a better life. Every room was thick with significance; the floor I was standing on had been treaded by countless people from countless cultures - countless walks of life. Their stories are forever etched into this place and into the fabric of our flag and our nation. I was overcome with emotion reading these stories, and my only regret was not having spent more time here. No matter who you are or where youre from - if youre anywhere nearby, do yourself a lifelong favor and visit Ellis Island. Spend some time there.
Such an amazing place. It takes a good 3-4 hours. Get the audio tours because they help a lot. There’s one main and two side tours. I loved it.
You can feel the history in every room, the hopes and dreams of every soul was present in every room. The audio tour was included and was easy to follow and kept even my teenagers interested.
Stepping back in time and following in the footsteps of thousands of immigrants was truly a moving experience brought to life through Ellis Islands Audio Tour.
We visited the island and did the hard hat tour. I wish I remembered the name of our guide (he was in theater). He was extremely friendly, knowledgeable and awesome!!! The tour is so great, it really sets you in the mindset of what it was like to arrive here to our great Country. A must do!
I love history and so much of American history passed through this island. So much to look at. The exhibits are well put together and very interesting. You could spend the whole day there.
After leaving the Statute of Liberty the ferry stops at Ellis Island, included in the price of your ticket. While many people visit Ellis Island, you wont see as many leave the ferry when it docks. Maybe its because they dont realize the importance and history of Ellis Island. While not everyone immigrated to America through Ellis Island, I had family that did. You can get a glimpse of what they experienced when they arrived in this country. The audio door is included in the price, but you can pay extra for the hard hat door. This takes you to the buildings where immigrants were detained. Thanks to technology you can now also obtain the ships manifest if you had family that arrived through Ellis Island. This is a must see for anyone that had family travel to America through Ellis Island or just interested in our history.
The statue is an amazing feat. Its a mad house in the gift shop and the cafe. Bring cash in small bills or you will run around wasting time.
Very nice place to walk, ride bike, run o simple enjoy a beautiful day, alone, with your 💘 or you family
Amazing historical landmark with informative exhibits and gorgeous architecture. The park service staff provided great tours of the building that really brought the story to life. Doug was our guide and he was so engaging and even brought humour into his retelling of this massively important part of history. Side note, the panini I had was delicious and the café historian was a fun addition to having lunch. All around definitely worth a visit!!
We did the Hard hat tour of the hospital and grounds of the island, a great way to get a authenthic feel of how the island operated. Our tour guide was genuinely passionate and knowledge. A great experience.
This is a great but typical tourist attraction.Buy ahead online and get the cut to the front it is worth every penny. Purchase the go to statue first floor, thats the only way you can get into the statue. Otherwise you will be waking around on the outside.The lines to get into the security checkpoint are long and outside with no shelter. Keep that in mind when you go. Arrive at least 45 minutes to an hour before the ferry checkin time (not the ferry departure time).There are a few different ferries and each one has different accommodations, like seating and wifi.When you are finished with the statue, get into the return line. Do not go by the departure times because the line fills quickly and you might miss the time you want and have to wait for the next one. They run about every hour and half or more.
The cruise from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island its so relaxing with such breathtaking views of Jersey City and Manhattan.
Great place to visit for some of New Yorks rich history. If you are really interested in the place, I suggest setting aside at least 2-3 hours to go through most of the information and rooms there. Only accessible by boat through Battery park, it is part of the ticket purchase for the Statue of Liberty.
Was an honor to step foot on Ellis island and witness the history behind it. It’s very informational and is basically a museum of fine history from all the immigrants who traveled to Ellis Island to find a better Home in America.
Lots to learn about immigration and the make up of the US.In The main hall go to level 2 to have an overview of the regustration hall.Explore the additional exhibits on level 3 and dont miss out a walk around the island snd the morgue.
Good place to spend a day with boating and Statue of Liberty. Going from NJ helps with nice all day parking for $7. Also with a 2 hr free parking. Book cruise ride online to avoid rush during weekends.
Grate place to learn the US immigration history. If you ever visit NYC I strongly recommend taking tour to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Audio guides are provided for free in multiple languages to choose from.
Certainly does a very thorough display of the US immigration system and how it evolved over the years. Might trigger several emotions when you read through some of the memoirs. For history buffs, this place might need repeated visits to be able to experience all the exhibits in full. Wheelchair friendly for the most part. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Fantastic history lesson. Get the audio tour handset, they are free. Be prepared for 1 to 2 hours. Very well done and well worth it. The tickets for ferry and admission to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty was $18.50 per adult. We boarded the ferry at Liberty park on the New Jersey side. Much less crowded than the NYC side.
If you like history and interested in knowing how people were admitted into USA in the past then this is a good place to visit. Not much otherwise in my humble opinion. I like it as this is my area of interest.
We visited Ellis Island as part of the Statue of Liberty cruise, and although we gave ourselves the whole day to visit the two attractions, it just didnt seem like enough time. I could probably have spent the whole day on Ellis Island alone. A fantastic memorial to the millions of people who travelled to NYC in the hope of a new life. A great testament to the spirit of a nation, and definitely worth a visit. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time.
Great place with lots to learn and beautiful architecture on top of it. Highly recommend coming in and taking the time to learn about such a historic place. Talks about immigration from before America to present day, and you learn about what it was like for the immigrants back then and the insane circumstances they had to go through. Learning about it will surprise you, because we’re so relaxed now
Probably my favorite part of our visit! Definitely do not skip Ellis Island on your way to Liberty! The Immigration Museum is fantastic, doing an excellent job of helping visitors understand the experience immigrants had here. The audio tour is helpful and allows the visitor much flexibility. You can spend as much or as little time here as you would like but I would say give yourself at least two hours.
The ferry makes a pit stop after Statue of Liberty, so highly recommend visiting this place specially if you are a history buff . its nice to walk around the island.It has a museum with photos ,postcards and newspaper clipping and theaters too with mini movies depicting the history of immigration of late 19th and early 20th centuries
This island takes you back to the history. Park rangers tell a great story. Worth at least one visit. Interestingly, they provide an audio tour in Hindi, not surprising given the number of Indians in NJ. Dont miss the Gene Hackman narrated short film Island of Hope, Island of Tears. You can also read veey interesting history of Pizza near the restaurant.
Theres so much history here, this building has silent wall engravings of what life was like for those who came here looking for freedom or a better life, has anyone tried the hard hat tour? If you havent please do before they restore it, I highly recommend it, its 90 minutes and a lot of history to feed your brain
Very good place. Historical. If your great grand parents or someone from your family came to US through NY Harbor, you can actually imagine the time and process they may have gone through. So many things are preserved so well. Take your children there and see how amused or surprised they are to learn about a defining era of this great nation. Superb view of NYC and liberty island when you are on the boat to go to Ellis island. Take your time. You can take next boat to liberty if you missed tours. Walk around. See the trees. Read the descriptions of monuments and photos.Enjoy!
I wanna start by saying Ive never felt a strong connection to Ellis island. Im sure if I had ancestors that came here or if I was more into immigration history I wouldve found this place inherently fascinating. There wasnt a whole lot to do here. I liked the little interactive things on the second floor but there were only two and they didnt take long. A puzzle to test IQ and a game of sorts where you try to decide where youd move if you were an immigrant. There were museum portions that had a few interesting things. If youre into the history of this place Im sure it would probably be pretty cool. Or if you had ancestors that came here itd be neat to look up their names. I wouldve had more fun if there were more interactive exhibits or simulated history. I would like to check out the old hospital if I went back in the future. That seems pretty neat. I wish we had the time to walk the grounds and see other buildings. If I go back and love it Ill change my review.
One of the island to stop on the cruise to or from the Statue of Liberty. Audio guides are available, so better have your headphones with you. The main tour goes through the immigration museum building (which is quite big and can be confusing), where you learn a lot about the history of the first people arriving to New York.
Very fascinating place with the most surreal atmosphere Ive ever felt. Seeing the huge halls that were one filled with people, here to start a new life is staggering.
Interesting historical place. It has museum with a lot of exhibitions related to immigration history of New York and the whole US in general. Place is worth of seeing however you should monitor time to ensure that you have enough time for visiting the Statue of Liberty as well.
Its a historic place. Ellis Island is part of Liberty tour. We can see amazing story of the USA imigrants. In some rooms, it feels spooky
It makes you feel sad. you hear the stories of people that could have been your relative hundred of years ago, there after having had a very long trip, stay in that big saloon. you definitevly have to go there and take a look inside.
Visited here with my wife while on vacation,we enjoyed the tour.Great customer service,they introduced us to momments in history that we have never heard of...not even in history class.I totally recommend it,the prices are very reasonable if you really want your moneys worth get the($105.00-CITY PASS) which allows you to enter 5 different tourist attractions.
If you like history and the history about this great nation Ellis Island is the best place for you to go not only because its narrate the history about the immigrants from all around the world, but the principles about this great nation.. the staff that work there and the people who help you around the island are nice and friendly.. you need at least 4 hours to get to see everything
This is an incredible museum. You arrive on the ferry after it docks at the Statue of Liberty. The renovated hall has wonderful exhibits that tell the story of the millions of immigrants that came through the island. You dont need to stand in line for the audio guide. There are plenty of signs on the displays, but they are all in English. There are many examples of original photographs, passenger manifests, and even money that immigrants carried with them. I spent 90 minutes here and it wasnt nearly enough time. I will return and see the rest that this excellent museum has to offer.
An incredible and insightful museum that shows Americas diverse origins and really puts you in the shoes of early immigrants. A highlight of NY. We used the ferry trip included in our city pass and thought it was great value for money.
Ellis Island is steeped in the history of New York and is a must for anyone looking to learn about it. The tour provides the immgration history experience from arriving in America between the 1800-1900 period. Very interesting to learn about and the exhibits are interesting. Probably not great with kids though as they would get bored easily. Was good to try and find our names on the landmarks.
Great experience... Make sure your GF doesnt use boots that will kill her feet. Youll be carrying her the last mile.
Beautiful museum. Fascinating. Just be sure to schedule enough time to see everything.
Very educational. Love the updated look. Kids and I did some statue/Ellis unit studies at home before our visit. So it was really great to finish it off with a visit here!
Excellent place, audio tours, make sure you go before 12pm otherwise they stop taking you to Ellis after 2pm
Modern exhibition. I did not have a chance to visit the other half which is about the old age. I just visited the modern exhibition on the left. Nice display! I like it. You should take time to walk around to the other half of the island too.
Nice museum and facility.Line to ferry can be very long.You need mask to get through
Very nice, but make sure you make reservations in advance in order to get into all the exhibits on the island before you go, if you want to see everything!
Visited after 20 years and I felt like it ia more informative and entertaining and also impressive artifacts...Loved the visit with family...
This was not an experience my wife or myself had high on our list as non-americans, however we would thoroughly recommend this experience - you are immediately transported to another time and can really put yourself in the shoes of those passing through or incarcerated there - you can fully appreciate the feelings these people would have had. The overview and history of migration was also enlightening.
Everyone who visits the area should check this out. With relatives that came through, it was even more interesting. And take the expanded tour of the hospital...well worth it!
Very interesting. The initial part of the tour and the processing of immigrants is really fun and very historical. Would definitely recommend. It can seem a bit biased at times when people spoke about the dining and how hey absolutely loved the food and how “only 2% of immigrants were refused”... that seems a bit “propaganda like” if you ask me. Great tour overall. Loved it!
Full of history and stories, take the Ranger Tour and most defenetly the Hard Hat Tour (hospital facility tour) - reservation/tickets required! $54 including Ferry to both island first Liberty and Ellis from Battery Park
Its a good place to know the history of the area.. The indoors are very good with a big hall where they used to have the inspection and port entry of the past.. the pictures of how they held and the trunks of the people of that time.. to give the visuals of the past helps to understand the past very clearly..
Nice place for a bit of history. Not very busy and quite quiet. We went on the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour and got to Ellis island a bit late. As a result we were not able to see the entire museum because the last boat was arriving and the museum closes at 5 PM so plan accordingly. I found some of the pictures very poignant especially in todays society of entitlement. Reminded me to be thankful for what I have instead of complaining so much. We had two burgers, two iced teas, and a cookie at their cafeteria for $39; not bad considering its a tourist place. The burgers were good, especially the Chipotle Bison burger. The burgers come with Oven Baked Lays Potato Chips. All around a nice experience. Definitely recommend it.
Its a nice place. My great and grandparents immigrated to the USA through here, but I couldnt find the right names on the wall.The hospital trip looks very interesting, but comes at an added cost. If you dont get here early AM, you probably wont have much time for the hospital tour unless you plan to spend the rest of the day here.The exhibits are museum quality, a free audio tour is offered and I watched a 30 minute movie, which was very good. There is a free guided tour as well.Ferry system is very efficient, it can get very crowded and people push and shove and cut in line sometimes. That is no fault on the attraction, its just a lot of people trying to do the same thing and not be as nice as I am :)Welcome to America
Ellis island is a must see for anyone. The main building is full of interesting displays. We also had good luck when researching our relatives that came through in 1907. That included looking at a copy of the ship’s manifest.We also signed up for the hard hat tour. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The guide described it as stabilized decay. That seems appropriate. The roofs are fixed, the windows boarded up, and the lead & asbestos removed. Apart from that the building are left the way there way when the hospital and admin building were last used. Hurricane Sandy flooded the ruins and accelerated the decay. The history of the building and the unrestored nature of the tour made for a unique experience (pictures in b&w).
Interesting place, but there is not many things to see, only museum with pictures and photos, and audio tour. I wish the other buildings will be open one day for visitors...
Worth the trip! Plan on spending at least 2 hours to tour. Huge museum
Beautiful place to visit before going to Liberty Island. Learnt so much about our ancestors that immigrated here from various countries. I suggest taking the guided tour.
The boat ride was nice, and if you are into learning the history of the property then you should definitely visit, if not, I wouldnt suggest going because there are no other activities available.
Will take up a lot of mental space. Plenty to see. Recommend you set aside a full day for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Fantastic place to learn about the history of emmigration in New York. You get free audioguides. The tour with tve audioguide is really interesting, informatif and well done. The building is well preserved. There is a wonderful view from Manhattan!
This should be a must see place for everyone, everywhere. The lower Journeys exibit is terrible. Skip that as the exibits there have nothing at all to do with Ellis Island and spend your time mostly upstairs. There you will find all of the rich history and the restoration of the building.Buy your tickets well in advance though and we do recommend the extra hard hat tour, its very cool.
A great place to visit for every American. Had a terrific Ranger-led tour. The mega-line waiting to get on the ferry was horrible, especially considering that we had tickets set for a specific time.
So much information..so much history....book ahead for hard hat tour of Ellis Island hospital...love the changes from my last trip 12 years ago! Wont wait so long to return.
I liked this more than I thought I would. I found my family records with the assistance of an employee and was able to get a really nice printout of the immigration records. The audio tour was cool and interesting.
Dec 28 2018 - rain and mist - it was not at all what I was expecting. The museum is fantastic. The audio tour is an experience and can be taken away your own pace (full, detailed or short). It is admirable how immigrants sacrificed everything to go into the country.Overall, the museum took me by surprise. I am not a big history fan, and this experience was mindblowing.
I would rate this higher if they allowed access to more of the buildings and island....but it was ok....decent self guided or audio guided music.....
Once it was Immigration point for entry to America. Very well organized the head phones were very helpful place to be seen . But best place was They do have department for us citizen to search their background .
Beautiful site to see. Bigger island than I thought. Amazing feeling to think your ancestors walked the same halls here. You can look them up on registery for 7$, then continue search at home. Workers were very helpful looking up pubic records to help in search. Found both great grandparents info.
Amazing historic place with a lot of knowledge, not only about the US but how we as humans have evolved on this planet since the earliest time!
It was very interesting to visit place where the first immigrants arrived. Dont forget to pick up a device for audio tour. It is on different languages. Unforgettable impression. I am confident that the best view on Manhattan is from Ellis island.
One of the best trips we have done, you could spend half a day here, recommend you use the audio guide. Lots of history, well explained gives you a completely different prospective of how America grew.
Must see!! Humbling to see and read about Ellis island, audio tour good! Was Ellis island birthday on our tour day making it more special to be there 👌😁
Very nice museum. Lot of stuff to see and learn about the immigration history of the USA. If you want to see everything in the museum, plan at the very least 3 hours because there is a lot to see.
Poignant and extremely well articulated. Thoughtful experience allows you to consider the feelings of the millions of people looking to start a new life and the challenges they faced - both in terms of where they were coming from and what lay ahead. Park Rangers and volunteers amazingly helpful.
Great place to visit if you are in NJ or NYC. Interesting portray of the timeline of US history.
We had such a great time at Ellis Island. So much history given and the search for family names was like a huge scavenger hunt. Aside from the great time we had touring the property the view back towards Manhatten was absolutely spectacular. Definitely make Ellis Island a priority during your next trip to the Big Apple!!!
We just whipped round in half an hour, so would have liked to have stayed for longer, but really interesting to see all the photos of people making their way to America, and fascinating to hear their stories and see the place they were kept while their fate (whether they were let in or not) was decided. The fact that people werent just allowed straight in wasnt something Id thought about before, so I found this really powerful, and it seems particularly relevant now.
Would have loved more time to have gone in. Very cool history.
Firstly the Ellis Island museum itself is great! Lots of records (manifests, photos, stories) that give a good feel of the scale of immigration handled, where a lot of the cultural capital of NYC came from, plus what immigrants went through. 2 recommendations: 1) take your own food. The only restaurant sells microwave reheated food that passes (expensively!) for warm food. See congealed cheeseburger photo which my son couldnt bring himself to finish (and hes not a fussy eater); 2) AVOID the weekends unless youre up with the larks, as there is capacity management in the form of disorderly queuing at the boarding quay at Battery Park (zero points to management team on that front). We were corralled for 2 hours in exposed heat conditions, with lots of queue jumping resulting from the lack of basic organisation. A shame because it was a detraction from the brilliant Ellis Island visit - this to the extent that we skipped the Statue of Liberty island hop off as we would have been subjected to another reboarding queue for the ferry. Photos include the restored Registration Room with great architectural features.
If you love to explore museums then Ellis island is a good option. Book a trip by ferry to visit the Ellis island while visiting the Statue of Liberty . They show the immigration of different countries to the US and how US was formed .
Historically significant and well maintained, this museum was fantastic for anyone that loves American history. Plan to be here all day as the grounds are huge. I would definitely recommend the hard hat your that takes you to the non refurbished hospital to take a look at the darker side of this historical site.
More interesting than Liberty Island but still many miss this. If you want to know about American migration This Is The Place!Great Audio Guide that is part of the entry price, dont miss that one!
Went to Ellis Island for the first time this summer. I was given the chance to go while filming for Ray Donovan. You will not be disappointed with the views on either end of the island. You can catch perfect angles of the NYC skyline and Lady Liberty. I dont have any family members or ancestors that came through Ellis Island but it is still just as thrilling watching people find the names of their loved ones. I would definitely recommend visiting! (The scene from the movie Hitch probably replayed in my head every 10 minutes).
Finally got to Ellis Island, I am glad I did. You should visit, its interesting to know how the first immigrants were received and treated during those days.
Enjoyed the trip on the boat. Island itself not too exciting for younger kids but very interesting for older kids and adults. Staff there really enthusiastic. Thoughtful comparison between historic immigration and current Trump stance in immigration.
When we visited the Statue of Liberty, we were impressive with this museum, nice place full of historical evidence.
Good fun great for family fun love this great history place very well organized and guides are friendly
A bit boring. Unless you have relatives in the States or have a super high intrest in the immigration to the States then I recommend skipping this island. Not worth the time.
Get ready for a long wait. Thats even if you have tickets. Security checks are a waste of time before you get on the boat. Nobody seems to care whats in your bag when the machine is activated nobody is interested. Staff just seem to stop visitors when the machine has not indicated a problem.Then when you get on the island if your are to go up the statue get ready for more security checks. Yet again staff seem to be not interested and can come across as aggressive if you ask any form of questions.Dont get me wrong but if security checks need to be done they should be carried out correctly
A lot of pictures of imigrants. Nice museum. Must visit if your ancestors came through that place.
Very interesting place to visit. You could spend a day here, listening to all the facts, reading documents. The volunteers are extremely helpful as well
I personally feel this place to be even better than liberty island.. there is so much to learn about history just fascinating
So much history. Most of us has ancestors come through here, I did. Special place to visit. Need to see it.
We took the “Hard hat tour” of the abandoned hospital . Well worth the $45.00 guided tour.
I loved this place theres so many things you learn and see about the history of this country
Wonderful museum! I highly recommend the Hard Hat Tour. Good food, too!
Many often skip the amazing experience of visiting the Museum at Ellis Island but it is definitely worth the trip. It is beautiful to have a place that records a very significant time period for the United States (late 19th century and early 20th the Age of Industrialization) by offering an in depth glimpse of one of the major factors that contributed to the success of this nation, Immigration. Brought my students to the museum this year to supplement their learning about European immigration for Social Studies and they benefited and enjoyed the trip very much.
I loved it was so fun and interesting my great grand parents were part of Ellis Island. It is just SO interesting. I recommend going.
Ellis Island is a fascinating place. Something about it is eerie and feels haunted, while the main building just feels heavy with history and the memories of all the immigrants who made our country so amazing to live in.The restored main hall feels very empty, but I suppose it may have always been that way since it was mostly a holding room while people waiting to be processed.I especially loved the exposed graffiti on the walls which were discovered during the recent renovations. It showed me that weve never really grown out of that middle school desire to write our names on the walls, and that people have always been the same, no matter where they come from.
Great museums. Had so much fun learning about the history of America and immigration
There is a awesome tour called the hard hat tour (cant fully remember) about a hospital they are preserving. Its really awesome learning about the history and is worth it.
Honestly I was a bit tired when I reached Ellis Island after waiting for 2 hours to get on the liberty and Ellis island ferry. Honestly the museum might have been interesting but I was to tired to appreciate it. Great view of the city though.
A great exhibition of the stories that formed the nation, with a lot of information on how inbound immigrants were processed.Hard not to compare the US that proudly built this facility and then the generation that made it into a memorial for an immigrant past with the current administration.Nicely done and an education for all.
Great museum with Immigration exhibit. Audio tours have good information. Available in quite a few languages. Movie theater showing 20 minute documentoey about how immigrants first arrived in the USA. Friendly staff. Great views of statue of liberty.
A stop on the ferry trip to the Statue of Liberty on the way back to New York City. The museum is interesting for the history of immigration into the United States.
Remarkable history here. Able to look up manifests for family members who came through 60+ years before.
The museum is too interesting, amicable people and memorable experience. I enjoyed of this visit.
One of America’s most historical monuments a must see if in NYC. A must see.
My wifes Dad and sister plus there parents came over from Ireland in 1956. They closed in 1957 and we went to find there manifest. All information was found year,time,dates. It was an emotional experience because my wifes father passed last year. So it helped put a smile on her face finding all this information. We purchased copies of everything and had them sent to our home. Also we are from California so we traveled far for this day.
Informative and crowded. Great 30 min show. An immigrant experience.
A nice museum and I really recommend that you you take The Hard Hat tour. It is expensive but worth every penny.
What a truly interesting piece of history... Oh and Hitch the movie is totally fictitious there is no book showing the immigrants that came to America....
Inside looks very nice. Outside view is superb. Overall nice place. You can sit there inside for long. You can charge your phone, only need to carry wires. Very peaceful surroundings. Recommended.
Ellis island was amazing and everyone should go with at least half a day to spend understanding the history of immigration. Also dont miss the area dedicated to modern immigration on the bottom floor.
It is such a moving experience. The walls with the name of all the documented immigrants. Unfortunately unless you paid for your family member to be listed on the wall and in the database.But still. Amazing and tear jerking.
First time here but wow what a surreal experience. The family enjoyed being there.
Heart touching place. The place through which refugees entered US. Dont miss the movie show about the history of this Island.
I really enjoyed this, it was included in the $18 we paid from Jersey to take a ferry to both Ellis island and the statue of liberty and back. For no extra charge I give you these talking things but take you on a tour around the place.get off the ferry ferry comes back to me 40 minutes decide if you want to take one two or two two or three tours very cool stuff to see. You can see how kids were detained so long ago its what made this country what it is. You can clear up some myths why some peoples names changed when they came here. Even seeing some of the graffiti like the original pencil take graffiti the people wrote on the walls so long ago.
Loved visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island! Very intriguing history and super cool to learn about a few of my ancestors that came through Ellis island, they have a place with computers and you can type in relatives names who have came through and it brings up their records and the details about there journey to America! Very cool place and they also have super good lemonade.
It was really hard to get there (from NJ) on a nice Saturday, but it was really cool. Its basically a museum now.
Full self explain documentation of how immigrant are been treated in early day if America. Nice place for every toutists
We visited for half day. There is a lot to see in the museum. A must see place for the tourists. Ferry services are operated from many places to the Island.
Excellent historic monument that us well maintained. The Museum is interesting and nit in a dull way. Lots if interactive displays.There is a walk arroubd the island with great photo views to ManhattanCafe and Restaraunt located in main building along with a souvenir shop of course.Arrive by ferry from Manhattan or Liberty Island.
I was disappointed to be dropped off on this island when I thought I was going back into the city. The staff didnt communicate well and we were kinda just herded around... I hunted for an exit for a long while, even talking to staff about how to get out and it was never mentioned it was another boat ride away... so plan appropriately..
A very pretty well maintained island with a really interesting museum about immigration. The audio tour is in price quite conveniently. Theres also a nice view of the statue of liberty.
An amazing experience wherein you feel like you are walking in the shoes of immigrants who came to this island years ago. I highly suggest doing this tour before stopping by the statue of liberty.
Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty experience, being the next island stop if coming from the NY side. This is where most of the immigration began many years ago, so it is packed with stories and memories. They have many of the original artifacts and a great audio tour. This can take about 2 hours or more to complete and get get very busy mid-day. The Wall of Honor outside shows families who contributed to restorations and keeping the grounds safe for families who came through.
Quick ferry from Liberty State Park. There is so much history there. The installations are very informative. Well worth the effort and time to get there.
It was a wonderful visit to show my children how immigration was 100 years ago. To remember what our ancestors went through
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for Ellis Island 2023:
Review №1
2021-12-22Very nice, lots of photos, history and artifacts. You have to buy tickets at castle Clinton in Battery Park to catch the Statute City Ferry which takes you to the Statute of Liberty and Then Ellis Island
Review №2
2021-07-10Absolutely stunning. It was only $10 for 30 min to search for my Great Grandfather who I knew well while growing up. I had enough history I was able to do it in the 30 min allowed and the computer system is very easy. They will charge for printouts but you can certainly snap a picture of the screen. So very touching to stand where he stood, to see what he saw, to wonder how he felt, and to appreciate the great freedom I have because of the sacrifice of his family and so many others. So much history and so many lives changed by this place. Fantastic displays and grounds. Plenty of time to wander and learn. There is a gift shop off to the right as you enter with several options for reasonable prices.
Review №3
2021-09-14It was a heavily educational experience, walking through the halls that millions passed through before, discovering how people were processed, examined, and either welcomed or deported at the end. There are hundreds of preserved items and areas from the time period, and the building itself is extraordinary.
Review №4
2021-08-10Was one of the most important moments of travel in my life. I will repeat this trip again with my sister and it will be even more important. Wonderful experience.
Review №5
2022-03-31Super glad to have learned even more about Ellis Island!
Review №6
2022-06-26So much history. Buildings are well maintained.
Review №7
2021-07-03At this time you cannot go up in Miss Liberty but you can walk around her and take photos. It was a great vacation to New York Ellis Island
Review №8
2021-06-07I loved this experience. I loved getting to see the history of people that immigrated here. It was a very humbling experience. The building was beautifully maintained and I loved how they kept some of the original historic aspects of the building.
Review №9
2022-03-13Really educational place. I really loved the history of this place.
Review №10
2021-03-22Very educationalJust not enough time.You must plan your visit here...there is so much to discover and learn.Social distance was greatThe ferry ride was nice to get here.