Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Ellis Island is part of Statue Of Liberty National Monument, a unit of the National Park System. It is not counted as a unit of its own.
Millions of Americans and people around the world have ancestors who came through Ellis Island. The Main Immigration Building was the epicenter of one of the greatest migrations in modern history. Today, Ellis Island is a memorial to all who pursued the American dream and have made this nation their adopted home.
Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor and can only be reached by ferry. Directions from the Park Service ↗
About under an hour from New York and 2 hours from Philadelphia by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
The National Park Service does not charge an entrance fee to visit the museums on Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but a ticket for ferry transportation by Statue City Cruises is required to visit the islands. Fees for ferries, parking, special tours or special permits are not covered by America the Beautiful passes or NPS Fee Free Days.
Parking: The National Park Service does not charge an entrance fee to visit the museums on Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but a ticket for ferry transportation by Statue City Cruises is required to visit the islands.
Hours
| Park Hours | Daily · 9:00AM - 4:45PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 4:45PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Hours not published |
Visitor centers
- Ellis Island Information DeskPassport stamp
The Ellis Island Information Desk provides general information, including the schedule of ranger-guided tours, special program, and film times. A ranger or volunteer is available to answer questions and provide information about the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration and make recommendations for…
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- The Baggage Room60 Minutes
The Information Desk inside the Baggage Room gives you valuable information to plan your trip.
Opens on the Park Service site - Tour the Hospital Complex90 Minutes
Visit the Hospital and Contagious Disease Ward on Ellis Island.
Opens on the Park Service site - Spend a Day on the Island
Spend a Day on Ellis Island
Opens on the Park Service site - Research Family Immigration History5-30 Minutes
Ship manifests, including 51 million arrival records, can be searched at the American Family Immigration History Center.
Opens on the Park Service site - Self-guided Audio Tour45-60 Minutes
Ellis Island self-guided audio tour.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Activities
Weather & climate
It is typically colder and more windy in New York Harbor than elsewhere in New York City. Winters are cold and damp. Spring and Fall can range from chilly to warm. Summers are warm to hot and humid.
Questions people ask
Does Ellis Island charge an entrance fee?
No. Ellis Island is free to enter, though some tours and ticketed sites inside charge separately.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Ellis Island?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 4:45PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is there cell service at Ellis Island?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G and AT&T 5G. No reported coverage for T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Ellis Island?
It is typically colder and more windy in New York Harbor than elsewhere in New York City. Winters are cold and damp.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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