Ellis Island’s museum is getting a 21st-century makeover, more than 100 years after millions of immigrants took their first steps in America there.
A new $100-million project aims to revitalize the 125-year-old landmark with immersive and modern exhibits. Recently announced renovations and upgrades at the historic site also include plans to more than double the number of records available to visitors who hope to trace their families’ stories there.
“This is a historic effort in a really important place to assure that it remains vital and relevant,” says Jesse Brackenbury, president and CEO of the Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation.
And giving more visitors a chance to personally connect with the island’s history is a key part of that, he says.
The famed island, located in New York Harbor, first became a processing center for immigrants in 1892. Today about 40% of the US population can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island, according to the National Park Service.
And many visitors to the museum try to do just that.
