Visit Ellis Island

Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty, served as the first port of entry in the United States for approximately 12 million immigrants. Visitors can access the island by purchasing a ferry pass that also includes a visit to the Statue of Liberty. In the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, located in the main building of the complex, walk the Great Hall and feel the spirit of the hopeful arrivals waiting to begin their new lives. See ship photographs in the American Family Immigration History Center, where you can also search ship manifests for passenger names. Or explore the history of American immigration from before and after the Ellis Island era in the Peopling of America Center. For more information, visit nps.gov.