Since it opened in 1892, Ellis Island has seen 12 million immigrants gain U.S. citizenship. Since its re-opening in 1990, Ellis island has welcomed an average of 1 million tourists each year. They come to learn what it was like for their grandparents, great uncles or total strangers to enter America, and the journey they made to get there. The largest wall of names in the world and a massive public database books allow visitors to search for proof of their relatives’ presence at the island, and for many it is an emotional revelation. There is also a half-hour interactive play aimed at 5-12 year olds that relates the experience using live actors, for when the wall plaques fail to inspire.

Written by  Alex Allen.

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