Visitors to Liberty and Ellis islands can expect big changes later this month as the National Park Service (NPS) introduces a ban on commercial tour guides from many areas within the sites due to overcrowding.
Restrictions will be introduced on commercial tours within Liberty and Ellis islands. Image by John Archer/Getty
The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island are two of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City but from 16 May the NPS will introduce a ban on commercial private tours from certain areas, including the statue’s sixth-floor outdoor observation deck, the new Statue of Liberty Museum (which opens the day the ban comes into effect) and the National Museum of Immigration at Ellis Island. Commercial tour guides are still welcome to the islands, just not at these particularly overcrowded spaces.
“The restrictions were put in place as a necessary response to the 600% increase in commercial tours over the last 10 years,” an NPS spokesperson told Lonely Planet in a statement. “This massive increase has resulted in the need to alleviate the mounting overcrowding and conflicts with National Park Service programming and operations. This congestion has led to safety concerns and has severely degraded the visitor experience in the park.”
The ban will affect Ellis Island Museum. Image by Dan Herrick/Lonely Planet
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Museum receive roughly 4.5 million visitors annually, although most come on public tours. By introducing restrictions on private tours, park officials say they will be able to better manage traffic flow and improve the overall visitor experience. Similar restrictions are already in place at other popular US attractions like the 9/11 Memorial Museum, Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia and Alcatraz in San Francisco.
Not everyone is happy with the new policies though. The Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) condemned the restrictions, calling on the park to establish an improved code of conduct for commercial tour guides as an alternative solution. GANYC spokesperson Michael Morgenthal called the ban a “complete overreaction” to a “minor problem.” He estimates about 250 guides regularly lead tours – in at least 28 different languages – on the islands and fears the new ban will damage their livelihood while increasing pressure on the park’s services.
While private tours will be restricted, visitors can still access the island’s sites through the park’s public tours.
Visitors can still visit the restricted areas without a private tour group by purchasing a Pedestal Reserve Ticket (from $18.50) from Statue Cruises, the official ticket seller. The rate includes round-trip ferry access and a self-guided audio tour.
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