New York Harbor that contains a museum and former

Restoration and reopening of north side

Detail of ceiling of registry room
In the 1970s, the NPS started restoring the island by repairing seawalls, eliminating weeds, and building a new ferry dock.^[208] Simultaneously, Peter Sammartino launched the Restore Ellis Island Committee to raise awareness and money for repairs.^{[68][209][210]} The north side of the island, comprising the main building and surrounding structures, was rehabilitated and partially reopened for public tours in May 1976.^{[208][211][212][68]} The plant was left unrepaired to show the visitors the extent of the deterioration.^[212] The NPS limited visits to 130 visitors per boat, or less than 75,000 visitors a year.^[208] Initially, only parts of three buildings were open to visitors. Further repairs were stymied by a lack of funding, and by 1982, the NPS was turning to private sources for funds.^[213]
In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan announced the formation of the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Centennial Commission, led by Chrysler Corporation chair Lee Iacocca with former President Gerald Ford as honorary chairman, to raise the funds needed to complete the work.^{[68][214][215]} The plan for Ellis Island was to cost $128 million,^[216] and by the time work commenced in 1984, about $40 million had been raised.^[217] Through its fundraising arm, the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., the group eventually raised more than $350 million in donations for the renovations of both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.^{[218]:216–218} Initial restoration plans included renovating the main building, baggage and dormitory building, and the hospital, as well as possibly adding a bandshell, restaurant, and exhibits.^[219] Two firms, Finegold Alexander + Associates Inc and Beyer Blinder Belle, designed the renovation.^[220] In advance of the renovation, public tours ceased in 1984, and work started the following year.^[68][221] As part of the restoration, the powerhouse was renovated, while the incinerator, greenhouse, and water towers were removed.^[222][141] The kitchen/laundry and baggage/dormitory buildings were restored to their original condition while the main building was restored to its 1918-1924 appearance.^[221][223]
The main building opened as a museum on September 10, 1990.^{[224][225][226]} Further improvements were made after the north side's renovation was completed. The Wall of Honor, a monument to raise money for the restoration, was completed in 1990 and reconstructed starting in 1993.^[227][222] A research facility with online database, the American Family Immigration History Center, was opened in April 2001.^[68][228] Subsequently, the ferry building was restored for $6.4 million and reopened in 2007.^[229] The north side was temporarily closed after being damaged in Hurricane Sandy in October 2012,^[230] though the island and part of the museum reopened exactly a year later, after major renovations.^{[231][232][233]}
Structures

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view talk edit Buildings and structures at Ellis Island