Public Art on Liberty Island

Liberty Island is home to one of the most recognized and iconic piece of public art in the world, the Statue of Liberty. A Federally owned piece of land, Liberty Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in 1937. The island itself has an area of  14.717 acres (5.956 ha). It wasn’t until 1956 the island officially was named Liberty.

The Statue of Liberty, which at the time was known as Liberty Enlightening the World, was a gift from the people of France to mark America’s centennial. The statue was completed in France in July 1884 and arrived in New York Harbour in June 1885 onboard the French frigate Isère. The Statue of Liberty was unveiled by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.