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The New Statue of Liberty Museum Will Open in NYC This Month

May 02, 2019
3 min read
Statue of Liberty Museum_Courtesy of Liberty Ellis Foundation
The New Statue of Liberty Museum Will Open in NYC This Month
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This spring is a monumental one for New York City. Following the opening of Hudson Yards in March, the new Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island is slated to open on May 16.

The museum will be a big deal for tourists and New Yorkers — especially kids — who want to learn about Lady Liberty. Since 9/11, 80% of the more than 4.3 million visitors to Liberty Island are unable to access the museum inside the statue's pedestal due to security restrictions. When the new $70 million museum opens, it will allow people to visit without advance reservations or tickets.

Spread over 26,000 square feet, the new scheme includes a free-standing museum in which there will be educational exhibits on the statue's history, a large public plaza and a rooftop viewing platform accessible by a monumental exterior staircase. The museum complex is being designed by New York-based FXCollaborative, which also designed the Alice Tully Hall adjacent to Lincoln Center, renovated and expanded the Javits Center and worked on the master plan for Hudson Yards.

They designed the building with sustainability and resiliency in mind. It's resistant to hurricanes, can treat storm water runoff, uses renewable energy and incorporates local flora and fauna into the exteriors.

Rendering courtesy of the Liberty Ellis Foundation.

The statue's original torch has already been moved to the site of the new museum. When it opens in a couple of weeks, it will have several galleries with exhibits that immerse viewers in the statue's story and invite them to reflect on the ideals she represents, including access to education, free elections and freedom of the press. In the Engagement Gallery, for example, a series of multimedia displays will show visitors what it was like inside the workshop where French sculptor Frédéric August Bartholdi created the statue.

The Inspiration Gallery will let visitors get up close and personal with the statue's original torch, which was removed in 1984 and replaced. Though Bartholdi had initially envisioned it as a shining copper flame, subsequent interventions transformed it into a flame made mainly of glass, which suffered from serious rainwater leakage and had to be removed. Once inside the museum, it will shine once again.

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Featured rendering courtesy of the Liberty Ellis Foundation.

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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Annual Fee

    $325
  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.