‘For Lady Liberty’ campaign launches to help fund the Statue of Liberty’s new museum
Rendering by FXCollaborative
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation this week will launch a fundraising campaign to help finish construction on its new $70 million museum. The foundation’s campaign, “For Lady Liberty,” seeks to raise $10 million to “add the finishing touches” to the 26,000-square-foot museum on Liberty Island. When it opens in May 2019, the space, designed by FXCollaborative and ESI Design, will feature an immersive theater and gallery that showcases the statue’s original torch and the Liberty Star Mural, a panoramic display with the names of donors.
The museum’s fundraising campaign on Indigegogo site details a history of crowdsourcing funds to help construct the Statue of Liberty. When the statue’s pedestal needed construction in the 1880s, publisher Joseph Pulitzer promised to print people’s names in his newspaper in exchange for donations. The statue received support from more than 120,000 donors, contributing over $100,000, allowing the pedestal to be completed in 1886.
Like 134 years ago, donors to Lady Liberty’s latest campaign will also be recognized. Everyone who donates $18.86 or more will have their name permanently in their Founders Registry and listed on the museum’s website. Starting at donations of $5, contributors will be recognized via social media shoutouts. Learn more about the campaign and donate here.
Renderings by FXCollaborative
The museum, which topped out in December, will have a green roof with native island vegetation and glass exteriors that are safe for birds. According to the foundation, the roof is set above 500-year flood levels and built to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Admission to the museum will be free with the purchase of a ferry ticket. Increased capacity will allow for 1,000 visitors per hour. Currently, only about 20 percent of the 4.3 million annual visitors can access the existing museum, found inside the pedestal. Ahead of its 2019 opening, check out the progress of the museum’s construction with a live feed here.
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