Ellis Island Immigration Museum

The former arrivals hall on Ellis Island that processed over 12,000,000 people is today home to a moving museum honoring the immigrants who risked everything to start a new life in the U.S. It is said that half of all today's Americans are descendants of those who came to the country through this hub. Visitors are invited to research their ancestors in the hopes of finding their documentation in the tomes of record books kept archived in the institution. The tour takes guests through the steps of processing that occurred in the monumental hall in order to emphasize the daunting nature of immigration. Artifacts and the building itself are supplemented by first hand video and audio accounts, and there is a children's program that helps kids to understand the importance of the space.