This former immigration center, which was the country's main point of entry for immigrants between 1892 and 1924, is located in New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty. The exhibits on the museum's first floor describe the patterns of immigration including a multitude of interesting facts about the millions of people who passed through the processing station here. Upstairs are examples of the possessions the immigrants brought with them, demonstrating the diversity of the immigrants' backgrounds. You will leave the museum with a better understanding of the people who passed through the Ellis Island Immigration Center (951,227 in the year 1903 alone!), the processes required to admit them to the U.S., and the lives many of them lived once they arrived. Don't forget to look for the names of your (or a friend's) ancestors on the Wall of Honor outside. The museum also has a library where you can research your heritage.

Getting into the museum itself is free, but to get to Ellis Island, you will have to pay for the ferry which leaves from Battery Park. The ferry schedules according to the season and expected volume. Call (212) 269-5755 for more information about the ferry. The good news is that once you've paid the ferry fare, a trip to the Statue of Liberty is included.

Directions:
By subway, take the N/R train to Whitehall Station or the 4/5 train to Bowling Green Station. Walk through Battery Park to Castle Clinton, where you purchase ferry tickets. You can also reach Battery Park via the M1 bus (West Side Service) and the M6 & M15 (East Side Service).

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