Just about every statue needs a pedestal, which is a solid base upon which it is situated. You might even have small figurines at home that are like tiny statues, attached to some kind of base that helps them stay solidly upright and not topple over so easily. Now think about having a statue that is 150 feet tall. What kind of base you would need to build to make that statue not only rise up into the air nice and tall, but also to keep it solidly attached to the ground?
The really neat thing about the pedestal is that it is an entire building that you can go inside. And inside the pedestal is a whole museum about the making the statue. Not only that, but you can go up to the top of the pedestal and see the view from there – which is amazing. You can climb the 215 steps to get there, or you can take an elevator most of the way up.
Prior to 2001, no reservations were required to access the Pedestal building, but since then it has become such a popular destination that a new system had to be implemented in 2004 to limit pedestal visitation for safety and avoiding overcrowding.
There are a number of specific items that MAY NOT be brought into the Pedestal building, including the following:
- Food
- Beverages
- Backpacks of any type
- Laptop computers
- Strollers
- Long umbrellas
- Tripods
Storage lockers may be rented for 2 hours at a cost of $2 in order to stow any such items during your visit to Liberty Island. Please note that lockers must be paid for in cash and only bills are accepted.
There are 215 steps to climb from the lobby to the top of the Pedestal building. You may also take an elevator up to the top, but be aware that there are a few stairs to climb before and after the elevator.