Friday, August 12, 2011

Statue of liberty closes for repairs

Statue of liberty closes for repairs
Statue of liberty closes for repairs. The Statue of Liberty is to close for a year as it undergoes a 27.25 million dollar renovation that officials say will make the interior safer and more accessible.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the renovation work on Wednesday.

The National Parks Service manages the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. The agency says it will keep the monument open until October 28. It will be closed the following day, though Liberty Island will be open as contractors make repairs to the monument.

The renovations will include upgrades to the statue's fire suppression systems, lifts and bathrooms. The crown area was closed after the September 11 terror attacks, but reopened on July 4 2009. Since then, the National Parks Service has controlled the number of visitors to the crown.