Ellis Island Audio Guide

Explore Ellis Island with Stanza's GPS-triggered offline audio guide.

Ellis Island

About the Tour

Ellis Island is a historic island located in New York Harbor. It served as the busiest immigrant inspection station in the United States and is now a National Monument and tourist attraction.

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What you will hear

Arrival at the Gateway to America

Establishes the scale of the island and its unique geography. Includes the main entrance and the statue of Annie Moore, the first immigrant processed here.

Statue of Annie Moore

Statue of Annie Moore

This figure commemorates Annie Moore, the teenage girl from Ireland who became the very first person processed at this federal immigration station in 1892.

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The Stairs of Separation

Where the 'six-second physical' took place as doctors watched immigrants climb the stairs for signs of illness or lameness.

The Stairs of Separation

The Stairs of Separation

As immigrants climbed these stairs with their heavy baggage, doctors watched closely from above, conducting a silent, high-stakes medical evaluation.

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The Registry Room (Great Hall)

The emotional and architectural heart of Ellis Island. Highlights the Guastavino tile ceilings and the wait for legal clearance.

The Registry Room

The Registry Room

The Great Hall stands as the emotional center of Ellis Island, where millions once waited in long, metal-railed lines for their final legal inspection.

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The Great Hall in Motion

The Great Hall in Motion

This historical photograph reveals the Registry Room at its busiest, packed with thousands of people organized into a complex system of fenced-off waiting areas.

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Legal and Financial Processing

Where immigrants proved their legal right to enter and exchanged their home currency for American dollars.

The Money Exchange Hall

The Money Exchange Hall

After passing through the final inspections, immigrants visited this hall to exchange foreign currency for American dollars and purchase tickets for their journeys inland.

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