Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
4.5
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Top ways to experience Ellis Island Immigration Museum
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
- South Ferry • 5 min walk
- Whitehall St – South Ferry • 5 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
6,328 within 5 kms
Attractions
1,506 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- jclaresparkleGlasgow, United Kingdom35 contributionsBrilliant museum & exhibitionsVisited the island & museum as part of the ferry trip to this & liberty island. Ellis island museum is a great visit if you are interested in the history of migration to US. The building itself is amazing, you can feel the history as you walk through. The exhibitions are brilliant, telling the stories of the people & communities that travelled to America throughout history. You can spend a good few hours at the exhibitions.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 28 February 2023
- Gerry DWinnipeg, Canada55 contributionsA Glimpse of Immigrant HistoryThis museum gives a good insight into the experience of many immigrants who made the journey to the United Sates of America. The arrival hall has been refurbished and there are rooms giving particulars of different aspects of arrival from health, to mental testing, sleeping arrangements, marriages, births, rejections, social services etc. and a display of the belongings people brought with them. The photos of the immigrants are also interesting to view. The ferry ride provides a good view of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of New York. Gerry, WinnipegVisited April 2023Travelled soloWritten 10 April 2023
- Kuvasz1988Saint Paul, Minnesota1,109 contributionsSuch A Wonderful JourneyThis was my second visit and was still shaken by the experience. I researched my grandmothers entrance here in 1923. The staff was somewhat rude but I not let that deter me. I found what I needed. There is a charge to search which I believe should be free!Visited May 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 9 May 2023
- evyStockholm, Sweden5 contributionsReally worth the visit!I followed the standard tour with start at Battery Park to Liberty Island (do a little walk there) then go to Ellis Island (did the museum) then took the ferry back to Battery Park. This tour is really worth the money! $ 24.50 for the ferry trips and entrance to the museum. Interesting museum about arrivals at Ellis Island and immigration to the US. The museum was easy and logical to visit with the free audioguide machine (pro-tip: take 3.5 mm wired headphones, it makes it way more comfortable to listen)Visited September 2023Travelled soloWritten 12 September 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,171 reviews
Excellent
1,858
Very good
881
Average
309
Poor
98
Terrible
25
evy
Stockholm, Sweden5 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
I followed the standard tour with start at Battery Park to Liberty Island (do a little walk there) then go to Ellis Island (did the museum) then took the ferry back to Battery Park.
This tour is really worth the money!
$ 24.50 for the ferry trips and entrance to the museum.
Interesting museum about arrivals at Ellis Island and immigration to the US. The museum was easy and logical to visit with the free audioguide machine (pro-tip: take 3.5 mm wired headphones, it makes it way more comfortable to listen)
This tour is really worth the money!
$ 24.50 for the ferry trips and entrance to the museum.
Interesting museum about arrivals at Ellis Island and immigration to the US. The museum was easy and logical to visit with the free audioguide machine (pro-tip: take 3.5 mm wired headphones, it makes it way more comfortable to listen)
Written 12 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ELKW
United States11,862 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
it's quite big, and very informative, it has lots of exhibits to see, you will know more about the immigrants at that time, worth to take a look
Written 7 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kuvasz1988
Saint Paul, MN1,109 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
This was my second visit and was still shaken by the experience. I researched my grandmothers entrance here in 1923. The staff was somewhat rude but I not let that deter me. I found what I needed. There is a charge to search which I believe should be free!
Written 9 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gerry D
Winnipeg, Canada55 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
This museum gives a good insight into the experience of many immigrants who made the journey to the United Sates of America. The arrival hall has been refurbished and there are rooms giving particulars of different aspects of arrival from health, to mental testing, sleeping arrangements, marriages, births, rejections, social services etc. and a display of the belongings people brought with them. The photos of the immigrants are also interesting to view. The ferry ride provides a good view of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of New York.
Gerry, Winnipeg
Gerry, Winnipeg
Written 10 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stockdale83
London, UK294 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
A must visit to understand how America was created and how much people suffered in the process.
Very emotional and beautiful building, you can easily spend 2+ hours there learning about America's history
Very emotional and beautiful building, you can easily spend 2+ hours there learning about America's history
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark L
Evans, GA486 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Really good place to get a sense of how most people came to the USA and how they suffered to get in. Lots of pics and sound bites to tell you the story. Part of the City Cruise to the Statue of Liberty
Written 24 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raymond Abeltun
Trondheim, Norway443 contributions
Jul 2022
The kind of museum that you have to visit. That said the museum in itself feels like a missed opportunity for a great museum.
Some cool info, but its lacking in variety and depth.
Some cool info, but its lacking in variety and depth.
Written 8 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jclaresparkle
Glasgow, UK35 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
Visited the island & museum as part of the ferry trip to this & liberty island.
Ellis island museum is a great visit if you are interested in the history of migration to US. The building itself is amazing, you can feel the history as you walk through. The exhibitions are brilliant, telling the stories of the people & communities that travelled to America throughout history.
You can spend a good few hours at the exhibitions.
Ellis island museum is a great visit if you are interested in the history of migration to US. The building itself is amazing, you can feel the history as you walk through. The exhibitions are brilliant, telling the stories of the people & communities that travelled to America throughout history.
You can spend a good few hours at the exhibitions.
Written 28 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hale F
Oxford, MS419 contributions
Nov 2022
Taking in NY Harbor is well worth the time and money, particularly on a beautiful day. There is nothing like the awesome site of the statute of liberty. We were interested in the Ellis Island which has been beautifully restored. The photographic history and descriptions of those who came from aboard and settled in our country is well done and informative. The exhibits give you an idea of the difficulties they experienced where they were from and coming to American their ultimate success and celebration of becoming citizens. Come with identification information about your family and for a small charge you can determine if and when they came to Ellis Island.
The picnic area provides a relaxing spot to take in the harbor and city view.
The picnic area provides a relaxing spot to take in the harbor and city view.
Written 8 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robinmolieres
23 contributions
Oct 2022
A group gathered and grew, mimute by minute, in the immigration, listening to Park Ranger Douglas Treem who recounted histories not only of the immigrant arruivals, but of the immigration processing officers. Their job was not to keep people out but to encourage them in and they often went to extraordinary lengths to integrate new arrivals into established NY communities.
Mr Treem spoke at great length and with such passion, humanity and humour, that we were all hanging on every word. He brought the hall, and the experience of all who passed through, to life. Thank you so much.
Mr Treem spoke at great length and with such passion, humanity and humour, that we were all hanging on every word. He brought the hall, and the experience of all who passed through, to life. Thank you so much.
Written 31 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pahdz
Jacksonville, FL93 contributions
Hi! Did you do the Hard Hat Tour with another tour with a guide or did you just ride the ferry over and do the HHT? Wondering if both tours would be too much. Want to see the new museum on Liberty Island and then visit Ellis Island. Did the HHT tickets let you skip the lines?
Mark T
Bedford, UK132 contributions
Hi. Sorry, I don't do the Hard Hat Tour. I didn't have time. I just did the audio tour of the main immigration areas of Ellis Island.
The new museum at Liberty Island was good - no lines to skip as it's just an open space to wander around.
Hope that's useful.
FEI Arab
11 contributions
How do I go about booking this "Hard Hat" tour that I have been reading about? Does it take the place of a "regular" tour or is it in addition?
On this same note - where is the best place for a "country mouse" family of five to stay if we wanted to do Frozen one night and then Ellis Island the next day. We seriously live on a farm and have very little "city" knowledge....
jeanh932
East Lansing, MI26 contributions
You can book the hard hat your through the statue of liberty, national parks, website. It is where you buy the ferry ticket also.
If you want to stay at a hotel in the city but not too busy, I've found staying between the high twenties and mid thirties (streets) to be convenient for walking and public transportation.
Giovanna F
Santi Cosma e Damiano, Italy185 contributions
Quante ore ci vogliono per visitare la statua della libertà e il museo dell'immigrazione ? Giusto per pianificare la giornata grazie
AleMes2013
Roma135 contributions
Giovanna dipende dal periodo, ad agosto le file saranno lunghissime, ti consiglio, dato che sarai sotto fuso orario, di andare subito il primo giorno molto presto, fare il biglietto on line dall'Italia (solo traghetto 18$, con piedistallo 25,5$, con piedistallo
e corona 28,5$) io li ho acquistati tramite il sito statueoflibertytickets Se fai i Pass cittadini (più attrazioni a minor costo che convengono molto) è compreso solo il traghetto che ti consente comunque di scendere sull'isola e fotografare da sotto la statua e lo skyline di Manahattan e poi di fermarti ad Ellis Island (che è la cos in assoluto più interessante con le audioguide gratis ottime) ma se ci sei io ti consiglio quantomeno la visita al piedistallo che contiene il museo della statua (come è stat costruita con i vari prototipi e la prima fiaccola installata molto interessante per me) per la corona io ho preferito passare perché essendo un po' claustrofobica dicevano che era molto stretta e di circa 350 scalini ma mia figlia si è molto indispettita di non salire. se arrivi presto con biglietti fatti e scegli piedistallo + ellis islan con 4 ore la fai ma non facendo fila, se fai la fila il tempo non è quantificabile. sono a disposizione se serve Alessandra
Isaac A
24 contributions
Hola,
Hay que comprar los boletos con anticipacion? o llegando ahi? que recomiendan? a que punto exactamnte en Manhhatan hay que llegar?
Gracias
Daniel Soto
Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile189 contributions
El boleto de ferry por el que se llega a la Estatua de la Libertad y Ellis Island se pueden comprar anticipadamente por internet o directo en Castle Clinton (Battery Park)
sonia P
Rungis, France31 contributions
Bonjour, je souhaite simplement visiter le musée à Ellis Island, y a il un ferry qui s'y rend directement sans savoir s'arrêter et payer pour?
Victoria T
Essex, CT574 contributions
As far as I know there is only a paying ferry that goes to Ellis Island. The tickets are $18 each, but you are not required to pay anything else once you are there, and you can stay until the last ferry at 5.30pm
Barbara S
Wayne, New Jersey, United States32 contributions
What is the best day of the week to see this attraction? I very much want to go. I’m thinking of spring or summer. Thank you
chibex32
Chicago, IL317 contributions
We went early on a Saturday morning in the fall. You could tell it was getting busiest throughout our time there. I think earlier is more important than what day. It is always busy but even with that I didn't feel overwhelmed.
692Elisa
Catania, Italy72 contributions
Quali sono gli orari di visita del museo?
Quanto può durare in media una visita?
wizard-goffredo
milano306 contributions
ciao a tutti, scusa per il ritardo della risposta. il mio consiglio è: prenditi tutto il tempo, prenota per tempo la salita sulla corona, si prenota e si paga a parte, non il giorno stesso ma qualche giorno prima, sono più di 300 scalini ma ne vale la pena, ellis Island secondo me deve essere visitata in modo consapevole, consiglio di andare a vedere l'ospedale storico per rendersi conto delle sofferenze che gli italiani hanno patito all'inizio del 900 con l'emigrazione... oggi gli immigrati sono trattati benissimo ... noi eravamo trattati in un modo che qui non posso definire .... posso dire malissimo ma non spiega tutto. goffredo
Annette2874
La Garde, France42 contributions
Bonjour.
Dois je absolument descendre à la statue liberty avant de rejoindre ellis island le musee ou puis je rester a bord et être sure de ne pas faire demi tour????
MabiBatista
Las Toscas, Uruguay129 contributions
Puedes bajar en Estatua de la Libertad, recorrer sin subir, (esto se reserva casi con un año de antelación la Subida a la misma) y luego vuelves a tomar el Ferry que llega uno cada pocos minutos y visitar Isla Ellys. Realmente para no perdersela. Te llevará recorrerla bien unas dos. La Isla Ellys solamente. Otras 2 horas, la Estatua como minimo. Tu determinas donde te bajas. En nuestro caso, en ambos lugares.
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Claim your listingELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Ellis Island Immigration Museum
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Ellis Island Immigration Museum:
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour: All Options (From RM 205.71)
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour (From RM 257.09)
- Statue of Liberty Tour & Ellis Island: Guided Tour Options (From RM 182.33)
- Statue of Liberty Ellis Island & 9/11 Pools-1st Tour 8:30am (From RM 373.96)
- Statue of Liberty Tour with Ellis Island & Museum of Immigration (From RM 275.83)
- Hotels near Ellis Island Immigration Museum:
- (0.36 km) Sonder Battery Park
- (0.38 km) Hilton Garden Inn NYC Financial Center / Manhattan Downtown
- (0.35 km) The Wagner at the Battery
- (0.36 km) Hampton Inn Manhattan/Downtown-Financial District
- (0.84 km) The Wall Street Hotel
- Restaurants near Ellis Island Immigration Museum:
- (0.13 km) Table Green & Table Green Cafe
- (0.18 km) Battery Gardens
- (0.20 km) Beer Garden
- (0.32 km) Gigino Wagner Park
- (0.24 km) The Long Hall at Pier A