September 26, 1972…the day of dedication for the American Museum of Immigration.
Following the closing of Ellis Island in November 1954, the facility was abandoned and seemingly forgotten. On October 15, 1965, Ellis Island was proclaimed as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and put under the control of the National Park Service. Rehabilitation work was proposed and began in the 1980s, initially focusing on the conversion of the Main Building into an immigration museum. Opening in September 1990, the major theme was Ellis Island, Isle of hope, Isle of tears for the 12 million immigrants who were processed here. During the rehabilitation, requests were made in the news media for former Ellis Island immigrants to share their immigration experience by recording oral history interviews and donating possessions carried from their country of origin through Ellis Island to the United States. Since the mid-1980s, immigrants, their families and descendents have offered and donated textiles, luggage, and various possessions to the growing museum collection on Ellis Island.
Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration is a living monument to the story of the American people. Housed inside the restored Main Building of the former immigration complex, the Museum documents the rich story of American immigration through a carefully curated collection of photographs, heirlooms, and searchable historic records.
Foundation works to preserve and honor two of our country’s greatest landmarks: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We pursue a diverse range of educational and community building efforts and work to create meaningful connections between island visitors and the dense fabric of American history
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