Have you been trying to get tickets to our hard hat tour of the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital but have found the dates sold out through much of 2017? We’re excited to bring our readers on a very special VIP event on Saturday, May 27th, which will include not only a tour of the historic buildings, but also a private film screening of the documentary Forgotten Ellis Island with author and director Lorie Conway, an autographed copy of her out of print book, and a meet and greet. The tour will include places not on any tour route (including our standard tour, which already goes off-limits). One highlight is an area where you can see evidence of repair to damage from the 1916 Black Tom explosion can be found.
While it may be difficult to visualize the complex today, this event will bring the lost history of the Ellis Island Hospital back to life. Once the standard for United States medical care serving tens of thousands of sick immigrants, the 22-building complex was left to decay for nearly 60 years after immigration restriction laws shut down Ellis Island as a port of entry. See never-before-published photographs and listen to excerpts of oral histories with medical staff, ward matrons and patients featured in the film and companion book.
Part of the proceeds will go to the restoration and preservation of the Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS & INCLUSIONS:
Ferry tickets to and from Ellis Island
A private, 30-minute screening of Forgotten Ellis Island
An autographed copy of the out-of-print book, Forgotten Ellis Island
A meet-a-greet with Lorie Conway, author and director of Forgotten Ellis Island
A 1.5 hour tour of the abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex, which will visit places not on any tour route, including an area where evidence of repair to damage from the 1916 Black Tom explosion can be found
See an exhibition installed by the world-renowned artist JR, who has placed life-sized historic photographs of Ellis Island immigrants on interior walls of the hospital buildings
DETAILS: Price: $125 (+ fees) | Your ticket includes the price of the ferry to and from Ellis Island. Getting to the ferry: To reach the site, visitors will have to board a Statue Cruises ferry, which takes off by Castle Clinton in Battery Park, lower Manhattan. You will receive separate instructions on how to board the ferry via email at least one week prior to the event date. Once on the boat, please REMAIN onboard past the Statue of Liberty to get to Ellis Island.
In order to be on Ellis Island by the beginning of the event (1:30pm), we recommend following this schedule: 11:00am: Arrive to Castle Clinton ahead of time to allow time to clear the airport style security 12:40pm: Board the ferry at Castle Clinton (the ride is roughly 40-minutes) 1:20pm: Arrive at Ellis Island and head to meeting location
What to know: The film will be screened from 2:15-2:45pm, and the tour will commence at 3:00 and end at 4:30. Ellis Island will close at 7:00pm. While the tour will make scheduled stops for quick photographs, but tripods and unipods are not allowed. Due to the nature of the buildings, it is inaccessible for people using wheelchairs or powered scooters. Kids must be 10+ years-old to join the tour. What to bring: Closed-toe-shoes are mandatory. Please dress appropriately for the weather, as the buildings are not climate controlled.
