Save Ellis Island Announces Temporary Halt of Hard Hat Tours

While cold winter winds blow on and around the harbor surrounding Ellis Island, Save Ellis Island, the nonprofit organization charged with stabilizing and rehabilitating the historic Hospital Complex on the south side of the island, announced that hard hat tours will be temporarily suspended between January 1 and January 29, 2023 to allow for winter clean-up and minor rehabilitation work.

The full tour schedule will resume Monday, January 30 consisting of 6 tours per day, 7-days-a-week.

“While we wish we didn’t have to hit the pause button, we decided January would be the most appropriate month to undertake this necessary work to ensure the best Hard Hat tour experience for our guests,” said Janis Calella, Save Ellis Island president and CEO. “Once the rehab work is completed, we will again welcome everyone to take part in these very personal tours – it’s like going back in time and stepping into the shoes of immigrants who were just entering the United States.”

No Ellis Island experience is complete without a tour of the abandoned Hospital Complex, which is comprised of 29 buildings on the south side of Ellis Island. History comes alive as visitors discover buildings over 100-years-old including the laundry facility, autopsy room and infectious disease wards, shedding light on an often-overlooked piece of the story of immigration to the United States. Approximately one out of every 10 immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island received medical attention at the complex, which was the most modern, comprehensive hospital in the nation when it was built in 1900.

Abandoned in 1954, the Hospital Complex fell into a state of disrepair until efforts to stabilize and preserve the buildings led by Save Ellis Island began in 1990. When tours resume, the public will continue to support crucial preservation funding via the purchase of their 90-minute guided Hard Hat journeys that will lead them through the same walls as many of their ancestors.

“Our goal is to preserve the south side of Ellis Islands for future generations to experience the hopes and sorrows of those who came before them, as well as the unparalleled views and breathtaking architecture,” said Calella.

Tickets for Hard Hat tours, offered to those 13 years of age or older, are available for purchase through the National Park Service’s ferry concession, Statue City Cruises.

Group tours, schools and corporate outings are also available. Further details are available at saveellisisland.org. Tickets are $74 and proceeds from the sales go toward continuing preservation and restoration of the complex.

About Save Ellis Island, Inc.

Save Ellis Island, Inc., a registered 501©3 organization, is the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior’s partner for the rehabilitation of the 29 unrestored buildings on Ellis Island. Save Ellis Island’s mission is to raise the funds to restore the deteriorated, unused portion of Ellis Island and return it to use for public education and enjoyment. Save Ellis Island is committed to preserving this national treasure dedicated to America’s immigrant story – the place where 12 million immigrants first stepped foot on American soil.