Ellis Island

Island Historic immigration processing center in New York Harbor

Ellis Island in New York Harbor houses the Immigration Museum within the former arrival station; record searches, exhibits on migration and views toward the Statue of Liberty draw visitors via ferry from Manhattan or New Jersey.

Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor that served as the United States’ primary federal immigration station from 1892 to 1954. Its restored main building now houses the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Exhibits present the immigration processing experience including the Registry Room where immigrants were inspected and recorded, and the American Family Immigration History Center provides access to passenger manifests and related records. The island is commonly visited together with the Statue of Liberty via ferry departures from Manhattan or New Jersey.

The federal immigration station opened in 1892; over the next six decades millions of immigrants passed through its facilities before processing ended in 1954. The main building was later restored and opened as a museum documenting the immigration experience.

Ellis Island sits in New York Harbor near the mouth of the Hudson River, between Manhattan and New Jersey; it is reached by ferries from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

Immigration records: From 1892 to 1954 the island served as the principal federal immigration station and processed millions of arrivals to the United States; records are available for genealogical research.
How to get there: Access is by ferry from Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey; the ferry also serves the adjacent Statue of Liberty.

What to See #

Main (Registry) Building: The restored main immigration station building that houses the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, including restored registry spaces and exhibits about immigrant arrivals.
American Family Immigration History Center: A research center holding ship passenger manifests, naturalization records and other documents used for genealogy research; it provides access to digital images of many original records.

How to Get to Ellis Island #

Ellis Island is accessible only by ferry; regular ferries to Ellis Island (and the Statue of Liberty) are operated by Statue Cruises from two departure points: Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, New York, and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Ferries stop first or second at the island depending on itinerary and dock at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum landing.

The Battery Park ferry departure area is a short walk (about 5 minutes) from the southern end of Manhattan’s Battery Park; at Liberty State Park the ferry terminal has adjacent parking. Advance tickets are recommended and the ferry trip takes roughly 15-20 minutes each way.

Tips for Visiting Ellis Island #

Take the earliest Statue Cruises ferry from Battery Park (Manhattan) or Liberty State Park (New Jersey) to get to Ellis Island before tour-boat crowds and to secure timed entry slots for the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.
Reserve ferry tickets and any special access (e.g., crown or private tour) in advance - ferries include security screening and the first ferry gives the most time to explore both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty grounds.
Allow time to visit the Registry Room (Great Hall) and the accompanying audio tour; many visitors rush the island, but spending extra time upstairs gives the fullest context for the immigrant experience preserved in the museum.