“Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” begins the poem by Emma Lazarus chiseled into the pedestal on which sits the Statue of Liberty. The statue, a gift from the French people, was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Over the years the statue welcomed millions of refugees to the United States. The statue’s pedestal sits on star-shaped Fort Wood that was built to protect New York City harbor from possible invasion in the early 19th century. With a reservation, a visitor may climb inside the statue to the crown. The interior of the raised arm and torch is not accessible to the public.  A museum celebrating the statue is open to visitors to Liberty Island.  

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