Conservation-restoration of the Statue of Liberty

On July 4, 2013, after months of closure due to infrastructure damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island fully reopened to the public. Repairs completed included restoration of electrical systems, ferry dock, and lighting infrastructure—reestablishing full visitor access and ensuring the statue’s recovery from coastal storm damage.

On October 28, 2012, the statue was reopened a day after the centennial of its original dedication. The reopening followed completion of the infrastructure modernization project. However, the reopening was short-lived as Hurricane Sandy prompted immediate reclosure one day later to address storm damage and essential repairs to island infrastructure.

On October 29, 2011, the statue was closed to allow installation of new elevators and staircases, plus upgrades to facilities such as restrooms and compliance with building codes. The improvements prioritized visitor accessibility and safety, modernizing internal infrastructure that dated from earlier restorations and original construction.

In December 1985 and reported in The New York Times on December 17, 1985, restorers acknowledged that the most serious internal issue had been the corrosion of the iron armature system supporting the copper skin. The iron had deteriorated due to failure of the original asbestos‑and‑shellac insulation, where trapped moisture accelerated galvanic corrosion. The replacement work underscored the importance of the new stainless‑steel armatures installed during the restoration.

The extensive restoration of the Statue of Liberty was completed in 1986 in time for the centennial celebration held July 3–6, known as ‘Liberty Weekend’. The statue, now structurally stabilized with stainless steel armature replacements, new torch, improved lighting, and enhanced visitor access, was reopened to the public, commemorated by massive festivities and the unveiling of a center‑pedestal exhibit on July 5.

On November 25, 1985, the newly fabricated torch, featuring copper repoussé and gilded flame in keeping with the original design, was installed atop the statue. This was a centerpiece achievement of the restoration, replacing the severely deteriorated original torch and restoring the statue’s iconic silhouette and symbolic illumination.

On July 4, 1984, the statue’s torch—severely water‑damaged—was removed as part of the ongoing restoration effort. A new torch was commissioned from Les métalliers Champenois in Reims, constructed over 14 months by skilled craftsmen to replicate Bartholdi’s original design, including copper repoussé and gilt flame. This marked a critical component replacement in the centennial restoration.

Restoration of the Statue officially began on January 23, 1984, as scaffolding arrived and was erected. Interior and exterior scaffold systems went up to allow comprehensive access to the structure. Work began to remove interior paint and coal tar layers, expose corroded iron, and prepare for structural repairs. The statue remained partially open during the early phase, with full enclosure following.

On December 14, 1983, Universal Builders Supply (UBS) Inc. was awarded the contract to erect the exterior scaffolding designed specifically for the Statue’s restoration. The ambitious aluminum framework, intended to respect the copper patina and contours, comprised around 6,000 components and had to be freestanding—anchored to the pedestal, not the statue itself. This scaffolding was critical to safely accessing the statue’s exterior for restoration work.

On November 7, 1982, project officials publicly announced that the Statue of Liberty would be closed beginning in 1984 for up to a year to allow for complete restoration. Though plans were revised to allow intermittent partial closures, this announcement marked the formal start of the centennial restoration process and underscored the need for extensive structural intervention.

In May 1981, in response to growing concern over the deteriorating condition of the Statue, the French American Committee for the Restoration of the Statue of Liberty was formed. On May 26, 1981, the U.S. Department of the Interior agreed to collaborate with the Committee. The Committee was incorporated in June as a nonprofit licensed by New York State to raise funds and provide French technical expertise for restoration. French consultants—an architect‑engineer, a metals expert, a structural engineer, and a mechanical engineer—began assessing the statue’s condition with on‑site visits and delivered their preliminary technical report in December.

In 1938, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), under National Park Service oversight, carried out a significant conservation-restoration on the Statue of Liberty. The rusted cast-iron steps inside the pedestal were replaced with reinforced concrete ones, the rays of the crown were temporarily removed and their corroded supports replaced, and copper sheathing was installed in the pedestal to prevent rainwater infiltration. The statue was closed to the public from May until December for this work. These changes addressed long-neglected structural and water-damage issues and set a precedent for later, more extensive restorations.