Statue of Liberty Crown to Reopen to Tourists on The 4th of July

NY Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be reopened July 4. Salazar made the announcement this morning from inside the statue’s crown on NBC’s “Today.” The statue in New York Harbor was closed to the public after 9/11 because of security concerns. The base, pedestal and lower observation deck have since been reopened.

Salazar says initially about 30 visitors an hour will be allowed inside the crown through a lottery.

He says that number eventually will be increased.

Improvements to the crown will be made before and after the reopening.

Salazar noted there still are risks associated with visiting such a limited space so high in the air.

A circular staircase of 168 steps leads to Miss Liberty’s crown.

Salazar also is visiting New York’s Ellis Island to discuss stimulus funding for the historic immigration center.

{CBS Radio/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}