The Statue of Liberty got up on her pedestal with the help of crowdfunding, and now the Statue of Liberty Museum is turning to Indiegogo for $10 million.
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The Statue of Liberty Museum is expected to open in May 2019. |
When the Statue of Liberty needed a boost in 1885, the
American people stepped in. Now, a new museum showcasing the statue’s
history and legacy on Liberty Island is turning to the world for a
little help.
[post_ads]The Statue of Liberty Museum is looking to raise the final
$10 million of its $100 million construction cost through an Indiegogo
crowdfunding campaign called For Lady Liberty,
launching on Monday, July 2. All donations to toward the ongoing
fundraising initiative led by chairwoman and fashion icon Diane von
Furstenberg.
Besides being a fitting gesture to continue the legacy of
friendship that inspired France to gift the Statue of Liberty to the
U.S. in 1886, the campaign also echoes an important piece of the
statue’s own history.

Created by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi and engineer Gustave
Eiffel (yes, of the tower), Lady Liberty arrived in New York City before
the final $100,000 needed to build her a sufficiently grand pedestal
had been raised.
Enter publishing magnate Joseph Pulitzer, who led what may
have been America’s first crowdfunding campaign. As a reward for
contributions of any amount — most of the over 120,000 donors gave less
than $1 — Pulitzer printed their names in his newspaper the New York
World.
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“From building Lady Liberty’s pedestal in the 1880s to
contributing to the 1986 centennial restoration, the American people
have given whatever they could afford to support the Statue,” says
Richard Flood, vice president and chief advancement officer for The
Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “This crowdfunding campaign
honors that history, ensuring that our fundraising efforts are
inclusive, while also expanding the opportunity to a worldwide
audience.”
When the statue was badly in need of restoration 100 years
later, the nonprofit Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation was
created to raise the funds. Once again, it was communities across the
country who answered the call, including schoolchildren donating
pennies, giving more than $6 million.
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The For Lady Liberty campaign has several reward tiers,
beginning with a Founder-level contribution of a symbolic $18.86 that
will ensure you a permanent place within the museum as part of the
Liberty Star Mural. Inspired by the American flag, the mural by
French-American artist Anh Duong will feature 50 stars representing one
of the project’s major donors. A Founders Star will represent the For
Lady Liberty campaign; a digital registry of donors’ names will also be
on display in the museum.
The Statue of Liberty Museum will have three galleries
exploring the statue's construction — including a recreation of the
French workshop where she was built — and a spectacular new showcase for
her original torch, which was replaced during the 1986 restoration.
It’s expected to open in May 2019 and will be free to visit.
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