Things NYC Locals Don't Even Know About The Statue Of Liberty

You learned in school that the Statue of Liberty was gifted from France to the US in 1886 – but there’s a lot you still don’t know about New York’s most famous local. Get to know Lady Liberty with our breakdown of things even New Yorkers don’t know.

You have to RSVP at least four to six months in advance to get tickets to the crown

Tickets to the crown, or head, of the Statue of Liberty are available by advance reservation only. After the events of September 11, 2001, large groups of people were no longer allowed to access the crown all at once. Because only a limited number of tickets are available every day, the crown is known to be booked up four to six months in advance.

Make sure to book your visit to the crown I

The statue is believed to have been struck by around 600 bolts of lightning every year since it was built

The statue was designated a National Monument in 1924

You knew the statue was a national icon, but were you also aware that it’s an official National Monument? Under the Antiquities Act, United States President Calvin Coolidge designated the Statue of Liberty a national monument in 1924. The statue is now cared for, not by the city of New York, but by the National Park Service.

Don’t forget your camera for a visit to this National Monument I

Statue of Liberty sculptor Auguste Bartholdi originally wanted the exclusive right to sell the statue’s image

It’s hard to imagine a New York City without Statue of Liberty keychain and sweatshirt souvenirs, yet this could have been the case if French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi had been successful in his aim to own the statue’s image. The artist found himself beaten to the punch, however, when at the dedication, images of the Statue of Liberty were made available.

There is still no elevator from the bottom to the top of the Statue of Liberty

Despite the mechanical innovations that have arose since the statue was erected, there is still no elevator access from the top of the pedestal, or Lady Liberty’s feet, to the crown platform. Instead, sight-seekers brave the 377 steps from the main lobby to the platform. Tip: be sure to use the restroom before embarking on your ascent— the only facilities are located in the lobby, almost 400 steps from the top!

It’s a long way up, so be prepared before you take to the stairs! I

In 1916, the statue was the site of a German terrorist attack

In 1916 during World War I, a group of German terrorists set off an explosion at the Statue of Liberty. The statue’s right arm sustained most of the, ultimately minor, damage, which cost USD$100,000 to repair. Immediately following the attack, the stairs in the statue’s torch were closed due to safety reasons. To this day, the torch remains closed to the public.

The theme of liberty extends beyond the statue’s famous tablet

The tablet inscribed with the date of America’s Independence Day, July 4, 1776, is just one of the statue’s allusions to liberty. The robed female figure is intended to represent Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, while the seven spikes of her crown are a nod to the seven continents and oceans of the world and an allusion to universal liberty.

The tablet is just one of many allusions to liberty I

The Statue of Liberty almost found a home somewhere other than New York City

Today, the Statue of Liberty is as integral to New York City as yellow cabs and bagels with schmear. If the cities of Boston and Philadelphia had had their way, however, this wouldn’t be the case. Groups in both cities originally offered to pay the full cost of the statue’s construction and transportation in return for its relocation. Needless to say (and in no surprise to locals), New York won out.

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