When Ellis Island became part of Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1965, its buildings were in terrible condition. By 1990, only the Main Building and some other north side buildings had been restored. In 2000, Save Ellis Island, Inc. and its partners began the expensive task of stabilizing and restoring the south side buildings.

Public access to the observation deck in the Statue of Liberty’s crown has been banned since September 11, 2001, for safety and security reasons. In response to loud protests, Congress has ordered a study to determine if crown access can be made safe.