Statue of Liberty will remain open during government shutdown

As the federal government enters the first full week of a shutdown—following Congress’s failure to reach a compromise on a funding deal to keep the lights on—New Yorkers will feel its impact in different ways, with one of the most immediate being the closing of parks and monuments operated by the government.

But some federal properties will remain open, most notably the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. On Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the monuments—operated by the National Parks Service, under the umbrella of the Department of the Interior—will still welcome visitors, despite the shutdown. The state will pay the cost of operating the venue, which comes to about $65,000 per day.

According to the National Park Service, around 10,000 people visit the Statue of Liberty on a daily basis; the monument saw 4.5 million visitors last year, bringing in $263.2 million in revenue. A ticket for the most basic experience—visiting Liberty Island, and ferry service to and from—is $18.50, with options getting pricier for visits to Lady Liberty’s crown and other tours.

“From our point of view, it’s a good investment because the revenue we gain from the tourists is multiples of what it will cost to actually pay to open the Statue of Liberty,” Cuomo said during a press conference. “And again, we want to keep tourism flowing, we want people coming and we don’t want any disruption.”

Additionally, New York’s Smithsonian museums—which include the Cooper Hewitt and the National Museum of the American Indian—will be open on Monday, along with the institution’s D.C. properties.

Parks and other sites that will be affected include the Gateway National Recreation Area and Federal Hall.