This is what posters attempting to raise money for the Statue of Liberty declared over 100 years ago. Over the years since then, it has come to symbolize the promise of freedom that the citizens of the United States of America enjoy. You cannot visit New York City without taking in this national treasure. As a National Park, it has the benefit of a wealth of information available online about the park that is useful for visitors to the park as well as anyone who would like to know more about the Statue of Liberty.

A Wealth Of Information

" The History: In 1876 the statue was commissioned by the United States in order to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. France gave the statue to the United States as a gift to recognize the years of friendship between the two countries, and the United States was responsible to pay for the base. Frenchmen Auguste Bartholdi and Alexandre Gustave Eiffel ( the engineer who designed the Eiffel tower) were called upon to design the Statue of Liberty and 10 years after it was commissioned, on October 28, 1886 it was dedicated on Ellis Island-the gateway to the United States.

" Some Recent Developments: During the 1980's the Statue of Liberty was given a good cleaning and also some restoration work was done. Because the statue is made of hollow copper plates there were parts that needed to be reinforced with additional braces, etc. to keep them from sagging and to keep the statue in good condition for future generations of Americans. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the Statue of Liberty was closed for a time (until August 2004) for security reasons, because it is a high profile building and a symbol of the United States.

" How to Visit the Statue: An advance purchase, timed entry ticket is the best way to see the Statue of Liberty. You can get tickets on site, but you will have to deal with a first-come first-served basis, and you may not be able to get in. Without a ticket you can still visit the grounds surrounding the Statue and see the visitor center on your own. You will, however have to purchase a ferry ticket out to the island.

" Tours of the Statue of Liberty: There are two different tours available of the Statue and the Park and both are free of charge. The tours are led by a Park Ranger. The Observatory tour includes the observation deck, the lobby, the museum, a tour of the 11 point-star shaped Fort Wood and a view of the copper interior of the Statue of Liberty. The Promenade tour includes everything in the Observatory tour except the observation deck. Neither tour takes longer than 2 hours, and they are very informative for children and adults as well.

" If You are Traveling with Children: The Statue of Liberty has a great Junior Ranger program for children with activities to encourage them to learn more about the Statue. For teachers and educators interested in getting more information for their students about the Statue, there are several resources that can be sent to your school for permanent use or on a borrowed basis.

" Additional Help: For those who are hearing-impaired, there are ASL tours offered at specific times throughout the day, if you contact the park in advance you can get a schedule. There are also audio tours in French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Italian and English, for those who want additional information.