Conceived as early as 1865 by French intellectual édouard Laboulaye as a monument to the republican principles shared by France and the USA, the Statue of Liberty is still a symbol of the ideals of opportunity and freedom. French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi traveled to New York in 1871 to select the site, then spent more than 10 years in Paris designing and making the 151ft-tall figure known in full asLiberty Enlightening the World. It was then shipped to New York, erected on a small island in the harbor (then known as Bedloe's Island) and unveiled in 1886. Structurally, it consists of an iron skeleton (designed by Gustave Eiffel) with a copper skin attached to it by stiff but flexible metal bars.

The 146-stair slog up to the statue's crown is arduous and should not be undertaken by anyone with significant health conditions that might impair their ability to complete the climb. Access to the torch has been prohibited since 1916.