Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ellis Island

    4.4 (145 reviews)

    Ellis Island Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Ellis Island

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Nicole S.

    Take the tour. It is worth it. We had a college student who was majoring in history. She was full of knowledge about Ellis Island and the time it represents. I was lucky to get to ask so many questions to someone who knew the answers.

    Glenn G.

    Often referred to as "The Isle of Hope", this is a truly remarkable place to visit and learn about; the audio guides in particular augment the visual exhibits to communicate a fascinating picture of Ellis Island and it's rich history. One of the many facts I learned while visiting here is that if an immigrant needed to be held for a time before their processing was completed, the shipping company that provided their transport was required to pay for their food and board until processing was completed. At that time, if they needed to be returned to their point of origin, the shipping company would pay for that too. Most impressive to me is how efficiently so many tens of thousands of hopeful immigrants to the US were processed through the required medical and legal checks. Doubly impressive are the stories you'll hear about how compassionate the individual immigration officers were to the concerns and problems of the immigrants. The recent events in Washington make the professionalism and compassion that characterized the immigration officials at Ellis Island (when it was operating) seem especially relevant today.

    Ellis Island, NYC_Yelp_sanju-7
    Sanjay G.

    Ellis Island is one of the most popular destinations in the National Park Service, thanks in part to the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. No trip to the Statue of Liberty is complete without visiting Ellis Island Even if you don't consider yourself a museum person, this is a place I'd recommend to anyone, especially if you've never been to Ellis Island before. Ellis Island explores the history of U.S. immigration, with a specific focus on the island as a national immigration center from 1892-1954 Behind the museum, you'll find the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. On this massive wall, you can find names of immigrants who came to the U.S. Alphabetically engraved on the wall are hundreds of thousands of immigrants, from various time periods. There is also a large grassy patch that provides the perfect spot to have a picnic with views of New York City and the Statue of Liberty.

    Jason B.

    First stop on the way to the Statue of Liberty, and its a great destination. Multiple buildings that aren't accessible to the public other than the museum and plenty of space to walk around and explore. Some great views too. Going to the Statue of Liberty is more than just the Statue of Liberty.

    In the laundry room
    Theresa C.

    No trip to Ellis Island is complete without the Hard Hat Tour offered by Save Ellis Island. I've taken this tour several times and each time I have learned something different. Most recently, I took a group from the National Park Traveler's club on the tour. Our group had a dedicated guide from Save Ellis Island. Save Ellis Island is the non-profit fundraising group seeking to restore or arrest the decay of Ellis Island's south side. They receive no federal money and depend on the income from the tours they conduct to fund the preservation. After donning our hardhats, we followed the guide first to the laundry room. He then led us through the Contagious Disease Hospital, sharing the history of Ellis Island. Along the way he pointed out interesting artifacts and the art installations by JR. Some of these have worn away since the last time I visited. I also noticed more of the windows were boarded up. The guide said this is to protect the old windows. Save Ellis Island hopes to restore all 29 historic buildings, but it is an uphill battle. Since my last visit, they completed the restoration of the Outdoor Recreation Pavilion, built in 1937.

    Amelia B.

    If you're visiting New York, Ellis Island is a MUST! The history came to life when taking the ferry over for an afternoon. Three floors with exhibits ranging from history of Ellis Island and the restoration after it closed in 1954 to immigration before Ellis island and after. There are audio tours available in many languages that help guests make the most of the museum.

    Main Building
    Travis T.

    Ellis Island is part of Statue of Liberty National Monument and one of two stops when taking a Statue ferry. Ellis Island was an immigrant inspection and processing station from the 1890's to the 1950's. You can spend a better part of the day going through all the exhibits here. I have done the full audio tour on a couple of occasions. Tickets prices usually include both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island when you purchase them. The tour tells the stories of the millions of immigrants that passed through this facility trying to come to America. They went through a series of medical and mental inspections while being processed. Not all of them made it through and many were deported. I found the experience humbling as I read and listened to the stories from those that came all the way to America to live out their dreams. I have always loved how cultured New York City is. It is said that many people in the city can trace their family roots back to this facility. Ellis Island closed as an immigration facility in 1954. I highly recommend doing the audio tour if you have time while visiting here.

    Hunter S.

    While Ellis Island and the Ellis Island museum are both amazing, it's the Ellis Island hard hat tours, organized and run by the Save Ellis Island Foundation, that are the most amazing. The hard hat tours are more exclusive, limited in number, but more expensive. Two tickets (for me and my friend) were 150.00. Please keep in mind that your security times and tour times are different. Our tour was at 11:30, but our security time was at 9 AM. We showed up about 10 minutes early and waited in line, but it moved fast (my first two tours had no wait time, as it was before tourism picked back up in NYC). We arrived on Ellis Island with about 45 minutes to an hour before our tour. We grabbed snacks and drinks, and that's about all we had time for. I have gone three times--once alone in 2021, with my husband in 2022, and with a friend just recently in 2024. Each time, I've seen and learned different things. The first time I visited, I saw many of the art installations by French artist, JR. On my second visit, I saw different art installations by JR, while also getting to view the psych hospital. On my third visit, I got to see the TB ward. Each tour guide was interesting and engaging without talking too fast or too much. No info overload here. The tour was relaxed, and you could tell each guide held passion for preserving this forgotten part of Ellis Island. You'll learn about the immigrants who didn't pass immediately into America. The sick, the disabled. Those who really didn't have anything wrong with them, but physicians who believed in eugenics sent them to the psych ward anyway. Because this part of Ellis Island is not being restored, rather than placed in "arrested decay," the parts of the hospital campus you'll be able to see will be based on whatever is being worked on and whatever has been recently stabilized. This is why I've managed to see and learn new things each time I've visited. All of the funds from your ticket price got to "Save Ellis Island," the non-profit in charge of this endeavor. They don't get any funds from the government or National Park Service. You won't regret ponying up a few extra bucks for this special experience. And even doing it again and again!

    Outside
    Kevin B.

    Visiting here was an amazing and humbling experience. As a descendent of immigrants (some of who came through here), my wife and I loved touring every aspect of Ellis Island, from seeing just how the evaluation process occurred once they got here to learning more about the people who risked everything on the American Dream. The facility is quite large and it has numerous exhibits to view. We came here after touring The Statue of Liberty and it was an amazing day filled with American History. It takes more guts than you can ever imagine to leave everything you know and hope things will work out in a distance and unfamiliar land. We are both so grateful to our ancestors and this place for helping them accomplish that dream.

    Things seen on the hard hat tour.
    John R.

    From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 million immigrants went through here hoping to be let into the US. Today it is said that nearly 40% of the population can trace a root back through here. That seems very high to me, but it certainly is plausible. The registration room is a must-see, but a visit certainly doesn't end there. There are displays in the various rooms past registration and all of this is free for access after arriving at the island. There are audio tours available and one of the most interesting add-on options is the hard hat tour that takes you into spaces that have not been renovated for public access yet. The research area has a cost associated with it. You can bypass that fee if you sit down at home, but you still need to pay for any of the files you want to have copies of. Unless I am wrong there are no digital downloads which really turns me off. However, you can "work around" that through ancestry dot com if you really want to get into filling out your family tree with as much information as possible. Lines for the ferries can be long. I have no idea what the secret is to avoiding that fact. I have been on the past two visits here. Going during the week is probably a better bet than on the weekends.

    Another Eric Brink!
    Eric B.

    Gayle and I recently visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on the same boat ticket. Known as the National Immigration Museum, this historical place really did bring that experience to life, starting at the Great Hall and proceeding through what came next. Gayle and I were impressed with the architecture, the ongoing restoration work on the Island, and the professional exhibits. A separate one that covered the politics of immigration was especially poignant. Ellis Island is layered enough that you could spend the whole day here, or just a few hours. And if you're hungry in the middle of all this, the cafeteria was OK, with the outdoor seating being even better. Gayle was able to look at the records here and find information on family members who came through Ellis Island. My family history took another path (at least what I know), but I did find that there is more than 1 Eric Brink out there.

    Jonathan R.

    Outstanding self guided tour from Jersey City. Short ferry ride Friendly staff The tour includes a radio that provides history and information about each room and office. 5 stars all the way.

    Entrance to Ellis Island
    Alyssa A.

    An absolute must stop after visiting the Statue of Liberty. It is incredible to see the place that millions of immigrants crossed through while coming to America and learn all about its history and culture. We could've spend more time here than at Liberty Island, hands down. The best activity we did on Ellis Island was the Hard Hat Tour of the old hospital. It was a 90 minute tour and cost about $80/person - 100% worth it. The tour took us through multiple different wards in the hospital - contagious disease, hospice, morgue, and our tour guide was wonderful (I wish I remembered her name!). She explained in depth many of the areas and gave so much history to what it was liking going through Ellis Island (and in some cases, living on Ellis Island). If you have the time and the money, this should be a must on your list. They also have an area where you can rent computers and look for ancestors who might have come through Ellis Island. It cost around $10/30 minutes and was time well-spent looking for my ancestors. I wish we had planned more time for Ellis Island because there was an entire museum we didn't have time to visit. So if you're wondering on if you should stop, do it. And plan ample time to enjoy all it had to offer.

    See all

    13 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 37
    Thanks 8
    Love this 30
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 8
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 2
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of mark f.
    48
    73
    3

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily L.
    1023
    524
    3598

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 2
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Noel J.
    563
    530
    2982

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marilu F.
    1067
    1741
    9358

    4 years ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anne F.
    3366
    1129
    7031

    7 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 25
    Thanks 0
    Love this 22
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ellis Island Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ellis Island

    Review Highlights - Ellis Island

    We came here after touring The Statue of Liberty and it was an amazing day filled with American History.

    Mentioned in 33 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Museums 8,420 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Spyscape - Special Ops Challenge

    Spyscape

    4.3(496 reviews)
    4.5 miMidtown West, Hell's Kitchen
    Free WiFi
    Large group friendly

    I found Skyscape museum while walking in the area and trying to get out of heavy snow. I wasn't…read morefully sure what to expect but I left really happy we got to experience it. Skyscape is a really engaging and a well designed experience. Theres a lot to see and do, with interactive spy style missions that kept both me and my son entertained the entire time! My son was completely locked in the whole time and I was right there pretending I definitely understood the instructions on the first try. It's mostly a hands on experience, you're not just walking through exhibits, you're actually participating, solving challenges and learning as you go. Even better, it didn't feel crowded, which made it comfortable to move through at our own pace. We were able to go back and redo some of the exhibits we enjoyed, which made the experience even more fun the second (and third) time around. Overall, a great mix of entertainment and learning, especially for kids but enjoyable for adults too. 10/10. My son loved every second. I loved pretending I knew what was going on.

    What a fun and interactive place with friends or a date night! The husband and I came here as a…read moreswitch from a typical dinner and drinks date night. On weeknights, it's cheaper than the weekends, which made this experience more worth it at $27pp. Plus, you also save a couple dollars by purchasing your tickets beforehand online. We participated in the Spygames portion, which was worth doing. Once we got a wristband and setup an account, we got to start the games. They also offer free lockers (you'll want to remove any purses, bags, jackets, etc) as you'll be moving a lot. There's 10 rooms of a variety of games although some are similar or duplicates. You'll be very active jumping, climbing, and running around. The hour went by pretty quick but we were both sweating and exhausted by the end of it, so an hour is really all you need.

    Photos
    Spyscape - Surveillance Challenge

    Surveillance Challenge

    Spyscape - SPYGAMES

    SPYGAMES

    Spyscape - SPYGAMES

    See all

    SPYGAMES

    Carnegie Hall - 135 years after opening day....

    Carnegie Hall

    4.2(357 reviews)
    4.5 miMidtown West
    $$$

    Carnegie Hall is a delightful, dazzling place, where the arts have traditionally -- and still,…read morecurrently -- thrive. It's such an important NYC cultural landmark, and I've been deeply fortunate to attend four events there now. If you're reading this review because you're thinking of attending an upcoming performance, and you're on the fence about it, then I hope that this review will persuade you to get off of the fence and into a seat at Carnegie Hall! Trust me, it's so worth it. Most recently, I participated in a wonderful event at Zankel Hall. It was called "The Divine Art of Music," and it was fabulous. It featured much of the best of both "Western" and "Eastern" music; I can confidently assert that it uplifted many souls that evening. Zankel Hall itself, which seats about 600 people, had such an intimate and fresh feeling to it...highly recommend it! The ushers were all focused, kind, attentive and friendly, which also contributed to a positive and memorable experience for everyone in attendance. IMHO, Carnegie Hall is a foretaste of heaven, which makes heaven all the more attractive. : ) In conclusion, it's truly one of those awe-inspiring gems on this side of the veil, so to speak, which brings us not only culture but a sense of God's goodness and loveliness to all who enter it. I hope that it continues to flourish for many years to come. Amen : ) To more joyful musical moments, Kat PS The Ricola Original Herb Cough Drops (complimentary and on demand) -- in its hallowed hallways -- are such a nice touch. : ) Thanks so much ~

    I've been to Carnegie Hall sitting close up in the front rows and also way up top near the ceiling,…read moreand honestly, there really are no bad seats. The acoustics are amazing no matter where you sit. Everything sounds clear and powerful. What also stands out is the feeling of the place. While you're there, you can almost forget just how grand and historic it is because it feels so intimate once the performance starts. But then you look around and remember where you are, and it's kind of incredible. Such a beautiful, iconic venue and always a special experience.

    Photos
    Carnegie Hall - 135 Years after opening day
     Shadows cast the spell
 and speak the story

    135 Years after opening day Shadows cast the spell and speak the story

    Carnegie Hall - Stern Auditorium - Perelman Stage

    Stern Auditorium - Perelman Stage

    Carnegie Hall - If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
     And treat those two impostors just the same.
              -Rudyard Kipling

    See all

    If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster     And treat those two impostors just the same. -Rudyard Kipling

    The Art Students League of New York

    The Art Students League of New York

    3.5(67 reviews)
    4.6 miMidtown West
    $$

    The Art Students League will always have a special place in my heart. I can't speak to how they are…read morecurrently but I attended from 2015-2019 and made many friends here, and it was a great environment to create, whether I was learning wood sculpture or refining my vision as a painter. Most of the instructors were wonderful, offering guidance when I asked and space when I needed it. It is very reasonably priced and remains a true NYC institution. The only instructor I would caution against is Pat Lipsky. I found her conceited and negative, even spiteful at times. If your aesthetics do not align with Immanuel Kant or Clement Greenberg, you may not feel welcome in her class. After she asked me to help set up her studio for a visiting curator, I left the class. From that point on, she refused to acknowledge me when we crossed paths. Still, the overall experience was deeply meaningful. I am grateful for the time I spent here and the ways it shaped my work and friendships.

    With a legacy of famous artists, this art school seems like a great place to study and take art…read moreclasses and be part of an art student community. Passed by this on my way from Columbus circle, and I plan on coming back to try an art class. They have evening and part time schedule of classes, from figure drawing, sculpting, painting, illustration, so there are a lot of options to choose from. Nice historical looking building from the outside.

    Photos
    The Art Students League of New York - Painting with a live model.

    Painting with a live model.

    The Art Students League of New York - Instructor showing drawings in our studios.

    Instructor showing drawings in our studios.

    The Art Students League of New York - Instructor demonstrates a pastel painting.

    See all

    Instructor demonstrates a pastel painting.

    Ellis Island - museums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...