How to visit the crown of the Statue of Liberty?

To climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, you must book your ticket well in advance. Here's how to do it.

What is the crown of the Statue of Liberty?

The crown sits atop the Statue of Liberty in New York, with seven spikes representing the seven continents and seas of the world. Inside the crown is a small glass-enclosed observation area, reached by climbing a narrow spiral staircase of 162 steps. From here, you get a unique perspective over New York Harbor, with Brooklyn directly in front of you and Manhattan to the side.
The catch: the staircase is so narrow that the National Park Service, which manages the monument, strictly limits the number of visitors allowed in the crown each day. Only about 50 people can go up daily. Given that over 4 million people visited the Statue of Liberty in 2019, spots fill up fast.
To reach the crown, you must book a Crown Ticket in advance. This special ticket includes ferry access, entry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, access to the pedestal, and access to the crown.

Crown Tickets are sold only on the official Statue of Liberty website. Go to Statue Cruises and select the Crown Ticket option. The ticket costs $24.50 for adults.
Book well in advance. Because Crown Tickets are so limited, they sell out months ahead. On February 20, for example, no dates were available until May 9—nearly two and a half months later.
After payment, you’ll receive a confirmation to print and present at the ticket windows at Castle Clinton, the departure point for ferries to the Statue of Liberty in Battery Park.
There are restrictions. One person can book a maximum of 4 Crown Tickets. If your group has 5 people, you’ll need to make two separate bookings. Also, you can only make one Crown Ticket reservation per 6-month period: if you book for July 1, you cannot book another Crown Ticket before January 1 of the following year.

If you’ve purchased a sightseeing pass that includes the Statue of Liberty—such as the New York City Pass, New York Explorer Pass, or New York Pass—note that crown access is not included. These passes give you access to Liberty Island only.
To visit the crown, skip your pass for the Statue of Liberty and book a Crown Ticket separately. The New York City Pass lets you choose between the Statue of Liberty and a harbor cruise, so you could buy a Crown Ticket and use your City Pass for the cruise instead. With other passes, you can apply your pass to any other attraction on the list.

You must bring a valid photo ID to enter the crown—tickets are assigned to specific people. This requirement doesn’t apply to regular Statue of Liberty visits.
You must arrive on Liberty Island by ferry at your scheduled time. Rangers will deny entry if you’re late, so arrive early and explore Liberty Island while you wait for your time slot.
To enter the statue, go to the tent just behind the monument. You’ll pass through a first security checkpoint and leave your backpack in a locker (bring quarters—you’ll get them back). Present your ticket at the second checkpoint, then head up the pedestal by elevator or by climbing 195 steps. At the top of the pedestal, show your ticket to a Ranger, who will let you climb the 162 steps to the crown. Time in the crown is limited, so you’ll need to move along for the next visitors.
On your way down, spend time on the pedestal’s balcony: the view of New York is stunning.

That’s a personal choice. If you want to climb to the top of the Statue of Liberty, go for it.
That said, don’t expect sweeping views of New York like you’d get from the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Summit, or One World Observatory. The statue’s location in the middle of the harbor, facing Brooklyn, doesn’t offer a commanding view of Manhattan from the crown. The view of Manhattan is actually more impressive from the pedestal and Liberty Island itself.
The crown visit is still worthwhile for the climb through the statue’s interior. You’ll appreciate Gustave Eiffel’s engineering—he designed the internal iron structure. The crown isn’t essential, but it’s a rewarding experience if you can get a ticket.