From 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island was the gateway to a new life in the
United States for millions of immigrants. In later years, the island was
deserted, the buildings decaying. Ellis Island was not restored until
the 1980s, when Americans from all over the country donated more than
$150 million. It opened to the public once again in 1990 as a museum.
Learn more about America's history, and perhaps even your own, through
the story of one of the most popular landmarks in the country.