New Statue of Liberty Museum will open in 2019

Liberty Island in New York Harbour will host the new 26.000 square foot Statue of Liberty Museum expected to cost $70 million. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation has announced the opening of a new museum designed by FXFOWLE and ESI Design and built by Phelps Construction Group.

The new museum will be as large as 26.000 square foot and will be located on New York Habour’s Liberty Island. The project aims to provide more than 4.3 million Statue of Liberty annual visitors with the chance to learn more about the monument’s history and symbolism.

The decision came after the safety upgrades following 9/11 attacks were not sufficient to enable the current museum to host all of the Statue of Liberty visitors.

“The Statue of Liberty is not just one of the most recognised monuments in the world, but an international symbol of hope that deserves to have her story shared with everyone who visits Liberty Island,” commented Stephen Briganti, the president of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.

Designer and foundation’s chair fund-raiser Diane von Furstenberg, added: “Lady Liberty is a symbol of everything America’s about: freedom, hope, possibility and resilience. What she represents out there is everything we love about this country and everything that has to be protected.”

The foundation’s goal for the building of the museum is to raise $100 million to be invested in monument restorations and the construction of the new museum. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation will collaborate with the National Park Service to successfully deliver this project until the end of 2019.