Better than the Statue of Liberty

New York. The possibilities are endless.
In a city as dynamic as New York it can be difficult to discern what merits a visitors precious time and what can be given a miss. When I was presented with the opportunity to visit Ellis Island it struck me as one of those that could be firmly placed on the ‘can give it a miss’ list. I could not have been more wrong. To this day it remains one of my favourite places I have ever visited.
One of the things that I liked about it was its separation from the main part of New York. It is an escape from the noise and frenzy. Although this is one of the beauties of the city I found change of pace enjoyable. To get to the Island you must go by ferry and one of the advantages of this is that you cruise close by the Statue of Liberty before docking at Ellis Island. From what I gathered it seemed as if Ellis Island was the afterthought for most people who seemed more intent on queuing for hours to go up the Statue when frankly the view of it from the outside is the best part. My advice would be to scrap any plans to ascend the great monument. Instead, admire it from the ferry before heading straight for Ellis Island.
What is Ellis Island? It was America's largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants entered the country from 1892 to 1924. At this moment you may well understand why I placed it on the list of attractions to be avoided. However not only is it an impressive and formidable building surrounded with an outside area that give great views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. The inside is where it becomes most interesting. The hall in which those 12 million immigrants were either admitted or denied entry to America remains untouched. The people who passed through these doors helped to build America and were in pursuit of the American dream that the nation is built upon. The exhibits themselves give great insight into the often horrifying and arduous experiences that immigrants went through to reach Ellis Island. It became a symbol of hope for immigrants but could also lead to devastation. It is a living part of America’s history and one that can often be overlooked. One nice touch is its interactive archive records where you can search passenger lists and look for relations.
I hope that my description of Ellis Island has done it justice. I hope that its reputation as New York landmark can grow in stature and reputation as it is an experience that remains with me to this day.