Liberty's Crowning Moment
The crown of the Statue of Liberty will reopen to the public on July 4th, and a few lucky
ticket holders will have the opportunity to climb the over 150 stairs from her feet to her head.
This is the third ceremonial opening for the statue. The big reveal came in 1886, when
France's gift to the United States was made accessible to the public for the first time. Then the statue went through a major overhaul and cleaning and had it's second grand opening on July 4, 1986, just in time to celebrate her 100th birthday. Now, the crown will open up again for views of the harbor, after being shuttered since September 11, 2001.
I haven't made the climb in years, but for those of you fortunate enough to get a ticket,
it is worth the effort. The views from the crown may not be what you expect. They aren't as dramatic as the views from the Empire State Building, or even from an apartment in Battery Park overlooking the Hudson. It's the views of the interior of the mammoth sculpture that are worth the heavy-duty workout.
You can't get any closer to Ms. Liberty than by climbing the teeny-tiny spiral staircase.
This is the best view to understanding how the statue was built and what phenomenal achievement it was. There are glimpses of the original brown color of the unoxidized green-colored copper of the exterior. And once inside the hulking body, there is the realization that all that is separating you from the elements is metal sheeting, 3/32 of an inch thick, about the size of two copper pennies put together.
The undulating forms of her skirt and face are so close to you, that you can see the tool
marks of the sculptors who formed her shapes and contours. Winded and ready to sit down, you arrive in the crown and have the opportunity to pass by the 25 small windows, for peek-a-boo views of the harbor and the very tip of Manhattan.
The crown closed when the towers fell, and now 8 years later, though much has changed,
the public once again has the opportunity to share Ms. Liberty's view of the world.
Posted by designslinger at 5/21/2009 7:40 AM 
Categories: Events and Premieres, Ephemera, Art, History
Tags: Statue of Liberty New York Harbor
Categories: Events and Premieres, Ephemera, Art, History
Tags: Statue of Liberty New York Harbor
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