A Gift Across the Atlantic
The Statue of Liberty was presented by France to the United States and dedicated in 1886. Its design and construction represented cooperation between artists, engineers and workers on two continents.
A Symbol Seen by Millions
For immigrants arriving by sea, the statue became one of the first great landmarks of the United States they encountered. Over time it came to symbolize liberty, opportunity and the nation itself.
Preserving an Icon
The statue has required continuing maintenance and restoration. Its history demonstrates how a monument can become more than a physical structure: it can accumulate layers of meaning as generations reinterpret it.