Statue of Liberty Museum Building New York, Exhibition Space Expansion, Architect, Design, Images

Statue of Liberty Museum Building

Visitor Facility Expansion Project at Lady Liberty, USA: Architecture in the United States of America

post updated 3 Sep 2020

This structure has been awarded in the International Architecture Awards 2020:

International Architecture Awards 2020

Dec 6, 2017

Statue of Liberty Museum Building News

Statue of Liberty Museum Topping Out

Design: FXFOWLE Architects ; Exhibition Designer: ESI Design

Statue of Liberty Museum tops off construction ahead of 2019 opening

Construction has topped off at the Statue of Liberty Museum, a new $70 million building on Liberty Island designed by FXFOWLE and ESI Design, marking a milestone before the 2019 opening. Diane von Furstenberg, who is still working to raise money for the museum, and Stephen Briganti, president of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, signed their names on the beam symbolically hoisted to the top of the structure, on Dec 4th.

Statue of Liberty Museum Building design
image courtesy of FXFOWLE Architects

The building will be constructed of glass, granite, and concrete–materials inspired by the waterfront location. It’ll sit across the circular plaza that fronts the Statue.
source: 6sqft – Statue of Liberty Museum Building

Jul 4, 2016

images from Jun 24 – Jul 2, 2016 © Adrian Welch:

Statue of Liberty New York

Statue of Liberty New York from sea

Jun 13, 2016

Statue of Liberty Museum Building Renewal

Statue of Liberty Museum Building Proposal

Design: FXFOWLE Architects ; Exhibition Designer: ESI Design

As the Statue of Liberty nears its 130th anniversary, a new free-standing 20,000-square-foot museum is being planned that would accommodate far more people than the current exhibition space in the statue’s pedestal, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The Statue of Liberty monument
photographs : Hausman LLC

The project is intended to increase public access to exhibits on the history, construction and legacy of the statue, and provide additional shelter during inclement weather, according to an environmental review the National Park Service released last month.

Currently only about 20% of visitors to Liberty Island can access the pedestal that houses the museum, and those who do so must undergo additional security screening.

The Statue of Liberty sculpture

“We like it. We just can’t fit enough people in it,” John Piltzecker, the park service’s superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, said on a tour of the existing museum this week.

No cost estimates were available for the new facility. If approved, it would take about two years to build.

Statue of Liberty New York

The proposed site is on the northwest side of the island across the plaza from the statue, offering a view of Lady Liberty’s backside from entry stairs that would double as a resting place for visitors, according to the review.

The effort would be privately funded and is still in the conceptual and planning phase, according to the park service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the nonprofit that raises money for restoration and historic preservation efforts at the two sites.

The Statue of Liberty island plan
island proposed plan image courtesy National Park Service

The new museum building has a prominent backer: designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg, who recently joined the foundation and has agreed to help with fundraising for the project.

Ms. von Furstenberg and her husband, billionaire Barry Diller, were significant supporters of the High Line park and are also funding Pier55, a $150 million-plus public park and performance space planned on the Hudson River near the Meatpacking District.

Website: Statue of Liberty Museum Building – article in the Wall Street Journal

History of the Monument

Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was given to the United States on October 28, 1886. The first public elevator was installed in 1906 to provide access to the top of the pedestal. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt transferred the Statue of Liberty National Monument to the care of the National Park Service. Five years later, the first major rehabilitation was completed on the statue, pedestal, base, and walkways.

The monument received additional work between 1984 and 1986, notably replacing the torch and strengthening the outstretched arm. April 2009 marked the beginning of further improvements to the double helix stairs leading up to the crown, which reopened on July 4, 2009 for the first time since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

About the National Park Service and Statue of Liberty National Monument

Since 1916, the American people have entrusted the National Park Service with the care of their national parks. With the help of volunteers and park partners, the NPS is proud to safeguard these nearly 400 places and to share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year.

One of those places is Statue of Liberty National Monument. Located on a 12-acre island in New York Harbor, the statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World” was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and designated as a National Monument in 1924. The Statue is visited by nearly 4 million people each year.

Statue of Liberty Museum Building Project Architects – FXFOWLE

A related story about a proposal in England:

New Statue of Liberty Liverpool Waterfront

Jul 17, 2013

Statue of Liberty Reopening

The Statue of Liberty National Monument Reopens

Statue of Liberty
photo : Hausman LLC

New Jersey-based contractor Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corporation (Natoli Construction) has completed over three months of extensive repairs, renovations and other post-Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts on Liberty Island. This work is being done on behalf of the National Park Service (NPS), and allowed the Statue of Liberty National Monument to reopen on July 4, 2013. The Monument receives more than 3.5 million visitors annually. Full repairs are scheduled to be completed by October 2013.

Nov 12, 2012

Statue of Liberty Power

Statue of Liberty Surges Back to Power with the Help of Natoli Construction

Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corporation, announces that it has restored permanent power to the Statue of Liberty National Monument. All lighting and electrical systems in the Statue, including lights at the torch and crown, have now returned to full operation. Power at the Statue was knocked out by Superstorm Sandy nearly two weeks ago. Temporary lighting to the torch and crown were restored early Friday evening, November 9th.

Statue of Liberty New York
photo : Hausman LLC

The Statue closed in October 2011 to undergo upgrades to visitor safety and accessibility. It reopened on October 28, 2012, the 126th anniversary of its original dedication, and then closed again the next day due to the Superstorm.

The storm was not the first major challenge faced by the contractor on this project. In 2004, the contractor performed the initial life safety upgrades necessary to re-open the Monument after the events of 9/11.

Oct 29, 2012

Statue of Liberty Renewal

21st-century Digital Technologies Renew 19th-century Statue of Liberty National Monument

Mills + Schnoering Architects LLC (M+Sa) used contemporary technologies to upgrade visitor safety and comfort at the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Due to the complexity of the project, M+Sa used these technologies to design the upgrades more quickly, accurately and cost effectively than with traditional methods.

When these improvements are complete, visitors will experience the Statue at its best since its dedication in 1886. In 2011, The National Park Service retained a multi-disciplinary design team led by M+Sa to perform these upgrades for the Monument, which will re-open on October 28, 2012 – the 126th anniversary of the Statue’s original dedication.

Sep 19, 2012

Statue of Liberty Refurbishment

Stewardship of Statue of Liberty includes enhancements to accessibility, visitor experience and safety

When the statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World” (popularly known as the Statue of Liberty) re-opens to the public this fall, visitors will experience it at its best since its dedication in 1886. A multi-disciplinary design team led by Mills + Schnoering Architects, LLC (M+Sa) is nearing completion on life and safety enhancements to the Statue, which closed in October 2011 to undergo this work. These improvements will allow the international symbol of freedom to continue its legacy of welcoming visitors from all over the world. M+Sa is working for the National Park Service (NPS) to provide stewardship of the Statue for current and future generations.

Nov 1, 2011

Statue of Liberty News

Statue of Liberty Renovation

The Statue of Liberty has now closed for a year to be reconstructed.

It was closed on 28 October after a celebratory event.

The costs of the renovation is estimated at about $ 27.5 million (19 million euros). There will be new elevators and stairs towards the crown of ‘Lady Liberty’.

Statue of Liberty

Location: Liberty Island, New York
Date: 1884-86
Architect: Frederic Bartholdi

Statue of Liberty photo
photo : Andrew McRae

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French people to the United States of America and located on Liberty Island opposite New York.

Each year around 3.5 million tourists come by ferry to Liberty Island.

You can catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan.

Statue of Liberty view
photo : Andrew McRae

Structure

The framework for the Statue of Liberty was made by Eiffel (in France), the creator of the Eiffel Tower. The structure is 93m high in total.

It was inaugurated on October 28, 1886.

Statue of Liberty New York Competition

Location: Statue of Liberty, New York City, USA

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Manhattan Architecture Designs – chronological list

New York City Architecture Tours by e-architect

SPYSCAPE Museum, 928 8th Avenue, New York City, NY
Architects: Adjaye Associates
Spyscap Museum New York City
photograph © Scott Frances for SPYSCAPE
SPYSCAPE Museum Building in New York City

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Empire State Building

Rockefeller Center

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New York Architecture News

New York Architects Practices

Another New York City building design by FXFOWLE on e-architect:

77 Greenwich Street Tower, Manhattan
77 Greenwich Street Tower
image from architects
77 Greenwich Street Tower New York
A 35-story mixed-use project in Manhattan’s Financial District

Another museum building design by FXFOWLE on e-archietct:

Museum of the Built Environment, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Museum of the Built Environment Building

Statue of Liberty Museum Architects – FXFOWLE, NYC

New York State Architecture Designs

Guggenheim Museum, East Harlem
Frank Lloyd Wright Architects
Guggenheim New York

New Museum of Contemporary Art – Extension, SoHo
SANAA architects
Museum of Contemporary Art New York

Comments / photos for the Statue of Liberty Museum Building, New York Architecture page welcome

Website: www.nps.gov/stli/