Statue of Liberty reopens

New York City’s iconic Statue of Liberty reopened at the expense of state funds following a brief closure as a result of the U.S. federal government shutdown. The Statue of Liberty was among the national monuments and parks that closed after the U.S. federal government shutdown last week.

The National Park Service is said to have reopened the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island through a funding agreement with the State of New York. “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated as a National Monument in 1924. The number of visitors to the Statue of Liberty amounted to approximately 4.5 million in 2016.

The state of Arizona has also said that it will make sure that the Grand Canyon remains open – whether the federal government reopens or not.