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Tour the Hospital Complex

Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument

Walking tour is 90 minutes in length.

Visit the unrestored buildings on Ellis Island's 'South Side' through a Hard Hat Tour administered by Save Ellis Island Inc.

All participants must be 13 years of age or older. Participants under the age 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times during the tour.

The tour costs $53 for adults and $49 for seniors. This price includes the ferry and audio tour for both Liberty and Ellis Island.

Ellis Island is only accessible by ferry.

Reservations are made through Statue Cruises and are for a specific time and date. Be aware that there are many restrictions to this tour, and it is the participant's responsibility to be aware of and adhere to the rules. Save Ellis Island reserves the right to refuse entry to the tour or remove any participant who does not comply. Tour participants must stay with a Save Ellis Island guide at all times. Unauthorized entry of areas off the guided tour will be considered trespassing. Violators will be subject to arrest and prosecution. Each participant must wear a hard hat, which will be provided by Save Ellis Island for use during the tour. Each participant is to sign a waiver before taking this tour, and anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian sign the waiver for them.

Tours will be held regardless of the weather; except in cases of extreme cold, heat or forecast of significant snow/ice. Save Ellis Island will make every effort to notify participants within 24 hrs of cancelling tours due to weather.  The buildings are not climate controlled and participants must be properly dressed for weather conditions in New York Harbor on the day of their tour. This may include rain, snow or wind. In extreme weather, the National Park Service may close the island early or for the entire day, requiring cancellation of tours.

When purchasing the tickets, participants will have to select a specific time. Times vary throughout the year depending on hours of operation.

• The unrestored buildings do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements at this time. Participants must be able to climb stairs. We regret that visitors with wheelchairs or scooters are not permitted on the tour at this time.
• Participants should expect to be on their feet for 90 minutes.
• Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes, and high heels are not permitted.
• ellis island part of statue of liberty national monument

Visit the unrestored hospital complex on Ellis Island! Administered by Save Ellis Island Inc., this 90-minute tour takes visitors through select areas of the 750-bed hospital on Ellis Island. Some highlights of the tour include visiting the laundry building where over 3000 pieces of laundry were washed and sanitized daily. Visitors will also have a chance to see the infectious and contagious disease ward, the kitchen, staff housing, and the morgue. A n art exhibit “Unframed – Ellis Island” created by renowned artist JR will be on display throughout the hospital complex. The exhibit features life size historic photographs of Ellis Island immigrants installed on 16 interior walls.

Last updated: January 27, 2021

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Statue of Liberty National Monument | HARD HAT TOUR OF THE ELLIS ISLAND HOSPITAL

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Hard Hat Tour of the Ellis Island Hospital Complex

Story by Rebecca Dieumegarde and Steve Markos Hospital photos by Rebecca Dieumegarde and Steve Markos

HARD HAT TOUR LOGISTICS

Save Ellis Island, Inc. , the National Park Service partner organization that helps with the preservation of the buildings on Ellis Island, operates a tour of the Hospital Complex, a collection of dilapidated buildings on the south side of the island. The tour takes its name from the fact that participants must wear hard hats. This is the only way to see the hospital ruins, and aside from the Main Immigration building (now the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration ), it is the only area of the island open to tourists.

Main immigration building at Ellis Island

Tours are held six times a day year-round. There is a fee, and you can purchase tickets in advance on the Statue Cruises website, the official ticket vendor and ferry operator for Statue of Liberty National Monument, or in person the day of the tour at the National Park Service information desk in the Immigration Museum (if any tickets remain). I highly recommend getting a ticket in advance, as only twelve people are allowed on each tour. The current price is $68.50, and this includes a General Admission ticket for Statue of Liberty National Monument ($23.50 value). This allows you to visit the grounds of Liberty Island as well (it does not allow you to go inside the Statue of Liberty). If you want to get inside, you’ll need either a Pedestal or Crown ticket, and you must purchase one of these in addition to the Hard Hat Tour ticket. See the Tickets web page here on National Park Planner for complete information on the types of tickets and how to purchase them.

Information desk at the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum

Tickets for the Hard Hat Tour are not that difficult to get because of the extra fee, plus most people come to the park to see the Statue of Liberty. I attended the 1:30 PM tour on a busy Saturday and only 12 of the 15 tickets were sold in advance, though the remaining three tickets were purchased by walk-up customers.

If departing from Battery Park in Manhattan, the ferry stops at Liberty Island before Ellis Island. The trip to Ellis Island itself takes about an hour, but you must also factor in time to go through security before boarding the ferry. I attended the Hard Hat Tour on two occasions. On the Saturday prior to the New York City Marathon (November 4th), I got in the security line at 10 AM and it took two hours to get through security. By the time I docked at Ellis Island it was 1 PM, and my tour was at 1:30 PM. For my second tour in early August, I had a 2:30 PM ticket, but I was at the ferry dock at 8 AM, a half hour before the security line even opened. Needless to say, I was on the first ferry at 9 AM. I stopped at Liberty Island for a couple of hours, then headed over to Ellis Island and got there in time to have lunch and browse through the museum.

If traveling from Liberty State Park in New Jersey, Ellis Island is the first stop (about 20 minutes from the time you board the ferry). You still have to go through security, but the lines in New Jersey are usually much shorter.

Statue Cruises gives suggested times to be in the ferry security line in order to make a particular Hard Hat Tour. These suggestions are fine if you are departing from New Jersey, but if you are departing from Battery Park during the summer season, I beg to differ on a few of these times, so here are my recommendations. (NOTE:  you can get in line for security at any time regardless of the time stated on your ticket. See the Ferry web page for more information on what to expect when traveling to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.) For the 11:30 AM tour, get on the first ferry at 9 AM. This requires being at the ferry dock at least by 8:30 AM, and 8 AM is even better. You’ll probably get to Ellis Island by 10 AM, but there is plenty to do if you arrive early. You might be thinking, well if I arrive at 8 AM and get to Ellis Island one and a half hours early, why not get in line at 9 AM and get there a half hour early instead? Because by 9 AM the security line may already be long. Remember that in November, I was in line at 10 AM and already had to wait two hours in the security line. It’s just better to get there early and not have to be in a rush or have to worry about missing your Hard Hat Tour.

Be in line by 9 AM for the 12 PM and 12:30 PM Hard Hat Tours. For the 1:30 PM tour, I also suggest getting in line at 9 AM, but for sure no later than 10 AM. Had I taken Statue Cruises advice to be in line by 11 AM, I’d have been a half hour late the first time I did the Hard Hat Tour. Since the security lines get longer as the day goes on, I recommend being in line four hours prior to the 2 PM and 2:30 PM tours. As I said, there is plenty to do at Ellis Island if you arrive an hour or so early.

If you want to do the Hard Hat Tour and get inside the pedestal or crown of the Statue of Liberty, your best strategy is to purchase either an 11:30 AM or 2:30 PM Hard Hat Tour ticket, currently the first and last tours of the day. Either way, your goal is to get on the very first ferry, which currently departs at 9 AM. To do so, I recommend being in line at least 30 minutes before the security line opens at 8:30 AM. When I visited in August, I was in line at 8 AM along with 50 or so other people. Security opened at 8:30 AM, and ten minutes later I was waiting to board the ferry. Had I arrived at 8:30 AM, I’m sure I still would have gotten on the first boat, but better safe than sorry. I booked the 2:30 PM Hard Hat Tour, so I went to Liberty Island first, arriving at 9:30 AM. I had time to visit the Statue of Liberty Museum and go inside the statue with my Pedestal Ticket that I had purchased in addition to my Hard Hat Tour ticket. I did all I came to do and was on the boat to Ellis Island by 11:30 AM. I arrived at Ellis Island twenty minutes later, had lunch, visited the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, and was ready for my Hard Hat Tour without any rushing. I headed back to Battery Park at 4 PM. If you book the early Hard Hat Tour, visit Ellis Island first, then take the New Jersey ferry to Liberty Island and spend the rest of the day visiting the Statue of Liberty.

Upon arrival at Ellis Island, head inside the museum and sign in for the tour at the National Park Service information desk. All participants must sign a waiver. The tour operator asks that you arrive one hour prior to your tour, but this is not necessary. You just need to show up early enough to sign your name. I don’t recommend arriving with five minutes to spare, but fifteen minutes or more should be fine. Once you register, feel free to roam around. Just be back at the information desk ten minutes or so before your tour time. Look for a tour guide wearing a hard hat.

The Hard Hat Tour lasts 1.5 hours, and you will be standing for almost the entire time. There are a few stairs, but the walk is not very demanding, so the tour is appropriate for most people. The buildings, however, are not accessible to those in wheelchairs, walkers, or strollers. Also, guests must be at least 13 years old to attend, and those under 18 must be accompanied by a person at least 18 years old. No sandals, flip-flops, or other open-toed or high-heeled shoes are permitted. There are no restrooms at the hospital.

No audio or video recordings are permitted during the tour, but you can take photos without a flash. You cannot bring tripods or other photography accessories.

ELLIS ISLAND HOSPITAL HISTORY

From 1892 until 1954, over 12 million immigrants passed through the Ellis Island Immigration Depot. Upon arrival, each person was subject to a health and psychological inspection. Those who did not pass the initial visual inspection had their shirts or jackets marked with chalk to indicate that further evaluation was required. Approximately 20 percent of the immigrants failed the visual inspection, though most were treated and later allowed to enter the country. Only around 2 percent of the total immigrants coming through Ellis Island were deported, with less than one percent due to having an incurable disease (the rest were sent back for legal reasons).

Ellis Island, which is almost entirely man-made, is comprised of three separate islands. The first island was the checkpoint where all immigrants arrived (the section where the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration is located). This was the only island that existed from the time the Immigration Depot opened in 1892 up until 1902. During these years, immigrants with infectious diseases were quarantined at hospitals on Hoffman and Swinburne islands.

Wooden building complex on the expanded Ellis Island in 1897

All buildings on Ellis Island, which were originally made of wood, burned down in a fire on June 15, 1897. The federal government rebuilt the facility using stone and brick, and when it reopened in December 1900, plans were made to build a second island to house Ellis Island’s own 125-bed hospital. This was completed in March 1902. The facility was quickly overwhelmed by patients, and additional buildings were constructed over the next few years. However, those with infectious diseases continued to be quarantined at other hospitals in the Manhattan area.

Ellis Island in 1903

The third island was built to hold a Contagious Diseases hospital. The facility was completed in 1909, but did not open until 1911 due to a lack of equipment. There was a 200-foot harbor separating the General Hospital from the Contagious Diseases facility, a distance that was believed to be adequate in preventing diseases from spreading. The harbor was filled in to create a small green space in the 1920s.

Ellis Island around 1920

Satellite view of Ellis Island today

The Ellis Island hospital closed in 1930, though some of the buildings were used as offices for the FBI. During World War II the island was used by the U. S. Coast Guard, and the hospital reopened to treat wounded soliders. German and Italian POWs where also interned on the island. After the war, part of the facility continued to be used as a military hospital. It wasn’t until 1954 that Ellis Island was entirely closed and the buildings began to decay due to non use.

See the main Ellis Island web page here on National Park Planner to learn more about the history of the island.

VIRTUAL HARD HAT TOUR

The Ellis Island Hospital complex is located on Island 2 (General Hospital) and Island 3 (Contagious Diseases Hospital). An enclosed corridor makes it possible to walk to any building on the island without venturing outdoors. However, depending on the weather, your tour guide may take the group outside instead, cutting across the lawn from the Main Immigration Building to the first stop on the tour, the restored Art Deco-style Ferry Building from 1936. This is where the ferry originally docked at Ellis Island. The building also had offices for the U. S. Customs Service and a lunchroom.

The current Ferry Building replaced an older, dilapidated building that was torn down in 1935. It was built by the Works Progress Administration, an organization designed to get men back to work during the Great Depression by building public works in urban areas. The Ferry Building was restored between 2000 and 2007 by the Save Ellis Island Foundation. As far as the Hard Hat Tour is concerned, this is where the tour group gets its hard hats before heading over to the General Hospital on Island 2.

1936 Ferry Building is where the ferry originally docked at Ellis Island

Inside the restored Ferry Building on Ellis Island

The next stop on the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour is the hospital’s Laundry Outbuilding in New Jersey. Yes, you heard that right. While Island 1 is in New York, Islands 2 and 3 are in New Jersey. The small, multi-gabled Laundry building is first building you come to when reaching the other side of the harbor between Islands 1 and 2. This facility was completed in December 1901. In addition to housing disinfecting and laundry cleaning equipment, the building had dorm rooms for staff, a morgue, and an autopsy room.

The laundry facility consisted of two large washers and one dryer. Sheets were washed, dried, and ironed, and then placed directly on the beds to avoided being folded. This prevented creases from forming, which could lead to bed sores. Three thousand pieces of linen were washed daily.

Industrial laundry cleaning equipment left behind in the Laundry Building on Ellis Island

Laundry cleaning equipment left behind in the Ellis Island Laundry Building

After the Laundry building, the tour heads outside and stops behind the General Hospital. These are the buildings you see when looking across the harbor from the Main Immigration Building. The lawn area that you will be standing on was once the harbor between Islands 2 and 3, and if you recall from the above article on the history of Ellis Island, in the 1920s this was filled in to create a green space.

General Hospital building at Ellis Island

Layout of the Ellis Island Hospital complex

The General Hospital is where physically and mentally sick immigrants with non-contagious diseases were treated. This could be anyone from pregnant women to those suspected of being mentally ill. The complex is made up of three buildings that were constructed in stages between 1900 and 1909. The original hospital building, which officially opened in 1902, is the second building from the Laundry Building (the building next to the laundry is the Psychopathic Ward built in 1906). The middle building, the Administration Building, opened in 1907. The third building, which is nearly identical to the original hospital, opened in 1909. Unfortunately, none of these buildings, including the Psych Ward, are stable, so nobody is allowed inside.

Back side of the Psych Ward (closest building) and General Hospital buildings on Ellis Island

Bordering the lawn between Islands 2 and 3 is another restored building called the Shelter. As with the Ferry Building, this was built by the WPA in the 1930s, and as the name implies, it was nothing more than a place to relax on a hot day.

The Shelter, part of the Ellis Island General Hospital complex

From the General Hospital, the tour cuts across the lawn towards Island 3 where the Contagious Diseases Hospital is located. Built from 1906 to 1911, the Contagious Diseases buildings have been stabilized and are visited on the tour.

Entering the Contagious Diseases Hospital on the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour

Contagious Diseases buildings

As you tour the Contagious Diseases Hospital, you will see various examples of art by a French street artist known as JR. These consist of historical photographs that were enlarged and then wheat-pasted to the walls and windows. Like the decaying buildings themselves, the art will one day peel off and end up in ruins. On one of the windows that looks out into a courtyard between two hospital wards is a photo of children with favus, a disease that affects the scalp. In most cases, this could be cured, but the treatment was extremely painful. Today, fauvs is rare and can be treated with topical and oral medications. (The documentary film Faces Places is about JR and received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary in 2017.)

Photograph of children with favus, enlarged and pasted to the walls by street artist JR

A 750-foot corridor runs the length of the Contagious Diseases Hospital, connecting all buildings together. Branching off from the corridor on either side is a series of hospital wards that once held up to 14 beds each. Oftentimes the nurses’ station would be behind a glass window so they could watch the patients without having to unnecessarily expose themselves to contagious diseases. While approximately 3,500 people died on Ellis Island, surprisingly, no doctor or nurse passed away or became infected with any disease.

Corridor connects all buildings in the Contagious Disease Hospital on Ellis Island

The first stop at the Contagious Diseases Hospital is at a multipurpose building located at the very northwest corner of Island 3. The building featured a powerhouse, a laundry facility, and a mattress autoclave, a machine that was used to sanitize up to four mattresses at once.

Mattress autoclave inn the Contagious Diseases Hospital on Ellis Island

Also located in the corner building is the morgue, a section of which doubled as a medical training facility. With the wide variety of people who passed through Ellis Island, the medical students were able to learn a great deal about ailments from around the world. The multi-tiered area with steps on either side is where students would sit to watch autopsies and other medical demonstrations. This is one stop on the tour where participants can sit while listening to the tour guide.

Training facility in the morgue of the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

Refrigerated storage for corpses at the Contagious Diseases Hospital morgue

As the tour continues down the corridor, there are a number of open rooms that you can take a peak inside.

Ruins of a former ward at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

Abandoned hospital ward at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

The next stop on the Hard Hat Tour is the Administration Building, the large building at the center of the Contagious Diseases Hospital. The desks and other furniture were left behind by the Coast Guard, which occupied Ellis Island from 1939 to 1946, and again from 1951 until 1954. The 1924 National Origins Act allowed potential immigrants to have their paperwork processed and health and other inspections done in their home countries, thus making a facility like Ellis Island less important. When World War II broke out in 1939, the island was used as a training facility for the Coast Guard, though the hospital continued as a functioning hospital. Once the United Stated entered the war, the hospital was mainly used to treat injured soldiers. The few immigrants on the island were either criminals or terminally ill who were waiting to be deported, or those who somehow lost their papers on the way to America. In 1951 the Coast Guard established a Port Security Unit that remained in operation until all facilities on Ellis Island were closed in 1954.

Offices at the Contagious Diseases Hospital on Ellis Island

The hospital kitchen is located behind the Administration Building, and it was here that 1,500 meals a day were prepared and served. Mothers and children were given milk and biscuits twice a day. Not much remains of the kitchen other than a range hood and a few tables. Notice the JR artwork underneath the range hood. This photo is of a ferryboat built in 1904, the Ellis Island , and it is upside down. After Ellis Island closed in 1954, the Ellis Island remained docked at the island, rotting away with the rest of the buildings until it sank during a storm in 1968. The boat was finally removed in 2009. The JR artwork is positioned so that the range hood appears to be the hull of the upside down ferry.

Range hood at the former hospital kitchen on Ellis Island

Old kitchen tables and equipment left behind at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

Tour participants can see some of the actual patient rooms, as well as a communal restroom. The rooms themselves had sinks, but no toilet or shower. Patient rooms in the tuberculosis ward had two sinks. The taller one, which was situated closer to the bed, was for vomiting or regurgitating blood, while the lower sink was used for hygiene purposes.

Patient Room at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

Bathroom with shower and tub in the contagious diseases section of the Ellis Island Hospital complex

Farther down the hallway are the operating rooms. JR’s artwork depicts surgeons and nurses preparing for an operation, and a photo of a surgeon adorns the entrance to the operating room.

Artwork adorns the wall of an operating room at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

Photo of an Ellis Island doctor at the door of the operating room

Inside an operating room at the Ellis Island Contagious Diseases Hospital

The final stop on the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour is the home of one of the two head doctors on the island, the Chief of Psychiatric and the Chief of Surgery. There was a second house, but this was torn down. As unlikely as it sounds, both doctors lived within the Contagious Diseases Hospital along with their families.

Doctor’s house (right) on Ellis Island

Interior of the doctor’s house on Ellis Island

Kitchen of the doctor’s house on Ellis Island

Empty room in the doctor’s house on Ellis Island

The Hard Hat Tour concludes by exiting from the buildings and onto the grounds at the south side of the island. From here you can get some nice photos of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Total time for the tour is 1.5 hours, time well spent for those interested in history and old buildings.

View of Manhattan from the south end of Ellis Island

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Exploring Ellis Island’s Abandoned General Houses

Over the summer, MYSELF had the opportunity to tour Ellis Island’s abandoned hospital complex with the New York Abenteuer Bat . I had been to Ellis Island many years ahead, but the southern section of the iceland where and hospital is located has always been off-limits to the public unless you visit like part of a tour. So, obviously, I should for get in on that so I could checkout out the old hospital for myself!

The tour guide for the day was Brett, who works for the non-profits Save Allis Island , whose objective is at create awareness of the Island’s history and also to raise funds go support restore the specialty on Ellis Island (to the tune of half a billion dollars…eep!) Bret was fantastic, and if you have me for your guide, you’re in luck!  ... hards hat tour today! We're now offering exclusive, VIP hard hat tours ... All in attendance must augury our Hard Hat Tour waiver and Covid-19 guss previous touring. The tour is a “hard hat” tour, so before you acquire started, you’ll be given a fully sterilized hards hat that you’ll be required to wear throughout the tour.  According go Brett, the hard hats haven’t any really been put up use during one of its tours, but you still need to wear them as a precaution because the hospital buildings will all in varying states of decay at this point. (Unsurprisingly, you also have to sign a waiver.)

Before we set exit to explore the hospital premises, Brett shared a bit off show about Ellis Island himself. In starters, he mentioned such about 1 to 3 Americans can tie the chronicle to E-li Island, which the nifty remarkable when you think about it. Ellis Island opens as einen immigration center in 1892 and was into use up until its closure in 1954. During such set, 12 million immigrants done through the island before heading on to points elsewhere. In that sam 62-year interval, that 20 different federal immigration centers open at the zeitraum only processor 4 million migrants. COMBINED. So you pot see why so many Americans can trace their history for Ellis Islet!

Prior to 1892, all immigration coming to BEANTOWN consisted processed through Castle Clinton in Battery Park, which is at the southernmost tip of Manhattan.  In 1892, a ship called Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour - Latest Ny Location Forum - Tripadvisor Moravia incoming, full of cholera-infected passengers.  No clinics wanted to take on one medical passengers, and the entire ship became adenine quarantine vessel. 30 people died available after arrival NYC (in addition to hundreds more who perished during one crossing), press a became clear to the U.S. government that there needed to be a best plan in place to pick such incidents in the future. Thus, it became decided that immigration should be processed offshore, on an island with a dedicated hospital to treated any medical passengers. Schedule Your Hard Had Tour Today

Ellis Reef were selected until serv those ultra purpose, even an novel island was all about 3 acres in size.  To accommodate one hospital buildings that were assembled on the southern end of which isles, landfill was used to build a completely new, man-made teilbereich on the island.  (Currently, the island has a really captivating ownership/management triangle. It’s mostly managed by the National Park Assistance, but NY owns the island which the wichtigster center is located on press then NJ owns the manmade section of the island is the forgotten hospital buildings. The taxes and proceeds from the gift shop are all shared in some manner. Talk about a complex relationship!)

Interestingly, but, includes third-class passengers passed through Ellis Island.  First and second class passengers were allowed till go straight into Manhattan upon arriving, the theory being that they could afford health care if they were unwell with arrival. Meanwhile, third class passengers would depart their vessel in Manhattan and would immediately must put onto ferries out to Ellis Island (since the water around Elsis Island was too shallow to handle the larger vessels in which immigrants would have cross the ocean).  Once these immigrants arrived on Elliot Island, they’d typically waste about five hours going through processing (much like a visit to the DMV these days). If all was well, they’d when board another ferry moreover back to NYC (where about a third of immigrants would settle) or take the ferry to New Jumper where they could board a schleppe to other downtown such as Philadelphia or Chicago. The Hard Hat Tour takes company till the dilapidated hospital complexe on Ellis Island. Tickets are imperative.

When immigrants arrived in Ellis Islander plus walked up the stairs within the Wonderful Halls, doctors would stand around and look for every signs are disease.  If there was any cause for worry, that as one limp or a dazed look, doctors would uses a piece of chalk to mark the reversing of the immigrants your suspected were unwell. These chalk marks be coded to indicate the specific condition alternatively diseases they suspected. (For example, X on the shoulder indicated suspected mental defective. PG steady for pregnant.) Only about 2% of aliens received a china mark because most people were imperative to undergo a medical exam before leave. (If you knowingly came to the U.S. while ill, you’d be illegal $200, which is and equivalent of about $7,000 in today’s dollars.)  If you did get a chalk mark, though, you’d be submit to of general on Ellis Island for further examination. CLARK CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC WAIVER OF LIABILITY

The oem immigration station on Ellis Island, as now as which initially infirmary, burnt down in 1897.  They were wooden structures and they were replace with the buildings thee go immediately, which were any built amongst 1900-1930. Our tour started in the Artist Decore water building (from which many of you relatives would can boarded a ferry after being processed), location we got our hard hats!  After, we walked toward a Y-shaped entrance, whereabouts at one period you would hold either been sent off into the infectious diseases hospital to the right or till and generally hospital to the right. At the set the hospital been built, the infectious disorders community was separated from the general hospitalization until 200 footprints of water (according to the surgeons general’s advice), but more landfill joined the two build simultaneously in that 1920s.

We fix away first for of General Hospital building, which is a 3-story building built in 1902.  Some of the original frosted is still in place, though it’s covered by what Brett called “preservation panels” to protection them from the elements.  At one time present had been five staircases but all of temporary left. The general hospital saw plenty the broken bones and hernias. It’s also find 384 babies were born!

Our voyage continued through the old laundry room, which holds many serious spectatable old laundry equipment. We learned the sheets would have been pressed but never folded because it was believed that creases caused by folding were possible at contribute to infestation or of developer of bed sores. Get used also locus were saw the first images scattered around the hospital houses by the artist,  HARD HAT GO OF THE JOE ISLAND HOSPITAL JR . These reproductions of original photographs of Ellis Atoll immigrants are displayed up to windows and the walls throughout the entire clinic complex.  You can only guess at what some in these immigrants were thinking and feeling during their time on and island, and the images really had how toward bring the rooms to life. Assumption of Exposure, Waiver, Liberate of Liability and Hold Harmless

Soon after, we head over for the insane physical and psychiatric ward, this was about as pressing as you’d expect. One a the buildings that housed psychological health patients had a cage on the front porch.  Apparently, this was to let subject sit outside to have crisp air without actually being able to execute off into said air… When you arrived at Mary Isle back in the day, it has often very noisy and chaotic and many immigrants didn’t speaking English, which could often bottom in looks of confusion or regret. These individuals should sometimes be chalk-marked for examination for mental blemishes and sent to the mental fitness ward.  Here, they would be given a meal and some time to remaining and the next day few intend attempt processing again, but this time, they be have the advantage to ampere translator, einige of whom speak as many as 14 languages! (Former NY Burgomaster Fiorello LaGaurdia spent all nach working as a translator on Ellis Island himself.)

Next, we saw one of the old morgues press autopsy theaters in the infectious diseases hospital.  Around 3,500 people died on Ellis Island over the 62 years it was in getting as an immigration focus. One of the most common reasons was from the flu, though present wants also often will cases of the measles, scarlet fever, and, of course, tuberculosis. If you arrived at Ellis Archipelago and were coughed, thou would immediately be received for an x-ray and blood test to will screened for TB.  If you were finds to have TOBACCO, usually one of third things would happen. Sole, you’d be deported and sent back home in the isolating area of one schiff. Twin, you’d be subjected to of sort von experimental treatment at the hospital Or three, you may have had a lung intentionally collapsed in an effort to expel some of the contagious von your lungs. None of these options look particularly delightful, but it’s not surprising, consideration how many people died from TB before that discovery of antibiotics.

Our tour continued through this 800-foot long hallway in which the barrier got narrower as we moved downwards the hall. Boarding explicated which such style helped to establish ampere ventilation chamber, which helped to constantly circulate air. Wee visited patient rooms and saw the antiquated marble fixtures in the bathrooms and old medical cabinetry in the wards. We also saw one of the kitchens where 500 meals could be unprepared three times a time (and this was where we also learned that Chef Boyardee has not only a real person but so he also approached to the U.S. overlay Ellis Reef himself. His last name was actually Boiardi not he changed the orthography in his company name to induce he best for people to pronounce.)

Finally, we wrapped up our circuit with a sojourn to the Chief of Medicine’s house where the principal and other senior doctors would are lived.  It still has its original tree flooring, which is in fantastic shapes, but the hang were covered in various hues of yellow, blue, additionally grass paint, all of which used chipping and peeling and showing its age (and as Shelf enunciated, it’s all lead so definitely don’t eat every of it.)  It quiet looked beautiful, though, and it almost must that tasteful look to it as though someone had intention multicolored it such way. Back Hard Hat Tour Month 27th! | Mesa Rim Austin

Wealth headed previous outside to enjoy some lovely spectacular go of Manhattan before returning to the old sea terminal, offer front our hard hats, and concluding the tour. This ferry terminal that plenty of our great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents passed through still floors, but the remains of one sunken ferry prevent the terminal from serving its true usage these days. Instead, her have to join the throng the tourists queuing up on the eastern side of Ellis Island to make their return trip to Manhattan or Novel Jersey.

Certainly, our visit and ferry ride to and from Manhattan was very different than our ancestors’ journeys, but learning more via the island’s view really made me reason a lot on mein return trip for Manhattan. Many people passed through Ellis Island’s hospital and made their way back to the city or points westward, but many others had mailed back starting, denied the opportunity to start a new life in America. Sadder still is thinking of those 3,500 immigrants who only made this as removed as this island, seeing Lady Liberty through their hospital window when never making it any closer to the U.S. than this little island. As my sea boat pulled away, though, I also couldn’t help but imagine the excitement those who did leave must have sense, and I loved that those tour gaves we an interesting glimpse into some of their lives.

Infirmaries can definitely be depressing places and nay all of who info on the tour was pleasant, but the history of Ellis Island is incredibly fascinating and dieser tour is not to be missed. It does take a bit of clock to get through the security line and take the ferry over, so be prepared forward a long day if you visit. But also be secure to plan in enough extra time so that you may explore the immigration center’s hauptinsel hall on your own before or next is tour. Thee needed at wear closed-toe shoes, so come preparing. The tours also take place rain or shine and include portion ensure are natural or where you becomes be unmask until the elements, so you may want to visit before it starts to retrieve too cold. There are several indoor sections where you’ll pass according broken windows, so I capacity only imagine how “brisk” this must be to tour go in February! A severe hat, safety vest plus safety glasses are also required till be worn on the site. No one is valid to go the Project if not accompanied by a Owner Name or ...

Did any of your my members eintreffen at Ellis Island?  Do them know if whatever of them had to spend any time in the hospital when they were there?  

If you’ve ever had a chance until visit Ellis Reef yourself, leased me know about your own encounter!

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Hard Hat Tours

7 days a week, daily tour schedule

March to December:

11:30 am to 1 pm 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm 12:30 pm to 2 pm 1:30 pm to 3 pm 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm 2:30 pm to 4 pm

January and February:

11:30 am to 1 pm 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm 1:30 pm to 3 pm 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Hard Hat Tour Tickets are sold by  Statue Cruises

Hard Hat Tour Tickets

Need assistance? Please call Qraig at  201-332-8485 or send an  email

Join us for our next:

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Learn More / Register

Closed for over 60 years, the historic Ellis Island Hospital Complex is now open for guided tours. The 90-minute tour takes you through select buildings and grounds of the hospital.

BUY TICKETS STATUE CRUISES BUY TICKETS SAVE ELLIS ISLAND

Tickets purchased for our Hard Hat Tours in our shop are Tour Tickets only, to travel to Ellis Island, Ferry Tickets are sold separately on  Statue City Cruises’ website ,  under ticket option, select:  General Admission

Contagion sometimes found a home in the crowded third class sections of ocean liners, with new immigrants arriving on Ellis Island with measles, tuberculosis, influenza, and a variety of other ailments.  Others left their ports of departure with any number of health or medical conditions ranging from pregnancy to injuries to mental illness.

Anyone identified by the medical inspectors as unhealthy upon arrival would not be allowed to enter the country and would find themselves in the hospital complex.  Here they were cared for in what was, in its day, a state-of-the-art complex.

In a place full of hope for a better life, the hospital buildings were islands of both sorrow and redemption.

A sense of both is evoked in the remarkable images pasted in the rooms and hallways, part of the current exhibit by French artist JR, titled Unframed—Ellis Island . The images draw visitors into a world that no longer exists. Rooms filled with quiet anticipation, the massive steel doors of the long silent autoclave, broken windows, half-open walls capture the stories of the Ellis Island Hospital, and the 1.2 million immigrants treated there.

“Fantastic tour - Our guide Barbara was really passionate and really good at sharing her knowledge - So amazing to discover all the JR art pieces along the visit as well - Thanks for this great experience!” ~ J. Dumas  

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Terms & Conditions Statue

Terms & conditions statue city cruises, save time, buy your tickets online, terms & conditions.

For All Those Purchasing Crown Access Tickets

Disclaimer restrictions will include:

• All those who purchase a Crown Access Ticket must obtain their physical tickets from either will call window located at: Liberty State Park, NJ or Battery Park, NY.
• Crown Orders may not be redeemed prior to selected departure date.
• Crown Access Ticketholders must pick up their wristbands prior to boarding a vessel from their departure point.
• Crown visitors are encouraged to proceed directly to the security tent at the base of the Statue of Liberty National Monument upon arrival at Liberty Island.
• The climb to the crown is an arduous journey that encompasses 393 steps in a cramped enclosed area with high temperatures.
• All crown visitors must be able to climb up and down the 393 steps unassisted.
• The Statue is not air conditioned. Interior temperatures can be 20 degrees higher than exterior temperatures.
• Crown tours will be cancelled under adverse conditions

The National Park Service recommends that crown visitors be:

• At least four feet tall, if a child.
• Without any significant physical or mental conditions that would impair their ability to complete the arduous climb including:
• Heart conditions
• Respiratory conditions
• Mobility Impairment
• Claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces)
• Acrophobia (fear of heights)
• Vertigo (dizziness)
• The National Park Service reserves the right to cancel reservations at any time for weather, safety, hazardous conditions or any other reason.
• Items Permitted:
• Camera (without case)
• Items not permitted:
• Bags of any kind
• Food and Beverages
• Writing instruments
• Crown visitors will be under full audio and video surveillance at all times in the monument.
• Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult
• Crown tickets are not transferable
• Crown visitors names will be printed on the face of each ticket
• Names given at purchase cannot be changed

Hard Hat Tour of Ellis Island Terms and Conditions

Tour Conditions

• All participants must be 13 years of age or older.
• Participants should expect to be on their feet for 90 minutes.
• Your reservation assigns you to a scheduled tour, and the start time will be printed on your ticket. You must check in at the Save Ellis Island Information Desk on the ground floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum when you arrive on the island and again at the start time for your tour. The reservation is non-transferrable. If you miss your scheduled tour, you will not be able to join another tour.
• Tour participants must stay with a Save Ellis Island guide at all times. Unauthorized entry of areas off the guided tour will be considered trespassing. Violators will be subject to arrest and prosecution.
• Each participant must wear a hard hat, which will be provided by Save Ellis Island for use during the tour.
• Each participant is to sign a waiver before taking this tour and anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian sign the waiver for them.

Preparing for the tour

• Tours will be held regardless of the weather; except in cases of extreme cold, heat or forecast of significant snow/ice. Save Ellis Island will make every effort to notify participants within 24 hrs of cancelling tours due to weather.
• The buildings are not climate controlled and participants must be properly dressed for weather conditions in New York Harbor on the day of their tour. This may include rain, snow or wind. In extreme weather, the National Park Service may close the island early or for the entire day, requiring cancellation of tours.
• There are no working bathrooms on the south side of Ellis Island. Please make use of the facilities in the Immigration Museum before reporting for the tour.
• Wear comfortable, closed-toe/heel shoes. Sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes and high heels are not permitted.
• Bags larger than a standard backpack, 16″ x 20″, are not allowed on the Hard Hat tour. Over-sized packs and luggage are not permitted. No exceptions.

Building conditions and artifacts

• Participants understand that they will enter unrestored buildings containing potential hazards including broken glass, uneven walking surfaces, dust, cracks and loose fixtures. Participants will exercise care to avoid all hazards.
• These unrestored buildings do not comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Participants must be able to climb stairs. We regret that visitors with wheelchairs or scooters are not permitted on the tour.
• Per National Park Service regulations, removal or disturbance of historic artifacts on Ellis Island is prohibited. Participants will not touch anything in the hospital buildings unless specifically permitted by the Save Ellis Island tour guide. Photography
• Still photography is allowed as long as it does not delay the tour, at the Save Ellis Island tour guide’s discretion. Additional camera gear such as tripods, unipods and additional lighting is not permitted.
• Participants are not permitted to take video while on the tour.

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Pre-Restoration Hard Hat Tours

Asbestos free in 2023.

We truly appreciate the enthusiasm and curiosity Lynnewood Hall is bringing to so many. Before we can officially open our doors to the public, however, we have a lot of work yet to do. Our top priority is asbestos remediation to make Lynnewood Hall safe and to protect construction workers and members of the general public from the negative health impacts of asbestos.

But before we can begin this essential work, we’ll need your help. The Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation needs to raise $1,250,000, to cover the cost of the remediation process. Our goal is to complete this phase as quickly as possible so we can begin offering a variety of experiential opportunities for the public to enjoy. We hope you’ll be able to help us in any way you can. Donations of any size will be accepted and greatly appreciated.

As an incentive, we’re now offering several exclusive semi-private and small group pre-restoration hard hat tours. These tours will be scheduled after remediation is completed, in approximately 4-5 months, and will offer donors a rare peek inside the main building of this exclusive property.

Some images of basement rooms used historically by Lynnewood Hall staff that have extensive asbestos. Remediation of this hazardous material will allow our organization to offer tours of these spaces.

Hard Hat Tour Packages — Click Here to Donate

Half-day tour For private groups of up to 12 people – $50,000 .

You’ll get six-hour tour with exclusive access to all areas of the main building that are safe for visitors. You’ll also be given lunch with the Lynnewood Hall staff, a framed 11×14 photo of your tour group taken on the steps of the Great Hall, and 12 souvenir Lynnewood Hall hard hats to show off to your friends. Determination of areas safe to visit is at the discretion of the tour guide based on recommendations from expert consultants.

Photography tour For private groups of up to 4 people – $15,000 .

You’ll be given a three-hour tour with exclusive access and photography opportunities. This tour will include plenty of time for setting up the perfect photo in several key locations. There is no access to power available for lighting setups. Only three of these extended access photography tours may be scheduled concurrently, depending on scheduling demands.

4-hour private tour For two people – $10,000.

This exclusive four-hour tour will provide extended access all areas of the building safe for visitors. Up to five other pairs may join your tour depending on scheduling demands. In addition, you’ll receive an 8×10 photo of you at Lynnewood Hall along with two souvenir hard hats to show off to your friends. Personal photography is also permitted.

4-hour Semi-private group tour For individuals – $5,000.

This maximum four-hour tour, for groups up to 12, will visit all areas of the building that are safe for visitors. You’ll also receive a souvenir 8×10 photo of you in Lynnewood Hall, and a souvenir hard hat to show off to your friends. Personal photography is also permitted.

90-minute small group tour For two people – $2,500.

This spectacular 90-minute tour will take you through the first-floor rooms including the Great Hall, reception room and the grand ballroom. You’ll also tour the Butler’s Pantry, servant stairs, art galleries, private family chambers  and family recreational rooms including the billiards and curio rooms. In addition, you’ll enjoy a walk around the main building outside to see the remnants of the gardens and the magnificent front façade. Up to 10 other people may join your tour depending on scheduling demands. Personal photography is also permitted.

90-minute small group tour For individuals – $1,500.

This 90-minute tour, for groups up to 12, will include will take you through the first-floor rooms including the Great Hall, reception room and the grand ballroom. You’ll also tour the Butler’s Pantry, servant stairs, art galleries, private family chambers and family recreational rooms including the billiards and curio rooms. In addition, you’ll enjoy a walk around the main building outside to see the remnants of the gardens and the magnificent front façade. Personal photography is also permitted.

All visitors to Lynnewood Hall will be required to sign a waiver of liability. There are no bathrooms on site, we have one portable toilet available and a handwash station. The building has no climate control and is not currently ADA accessible. All visitors must wear closed toe shoes, and wear a hardhat for the duration of the tour.

Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation Inc, EIN: 83-4474320, has been designated a 501(c)3 charity by the Internal Revenue Service. To arrange donations through a Donor Advised Fund or similar organization, email [email protected] .

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is the name given to six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads for use in commercial and industrial applications. These fibers are resistant to heat, fire, and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. For these reasons, asbestos has been used widely in many industries. Additional asbestos-like minerals are found in the natural environment, including erionite.

Asbestos has been mined and used commercially in North America since the late 1800s. Its use increased greatly during World War II. Since then, asbestos has been used in many industries. For example, the building and construction industries have used it for strengthening cement and plastics as well as for insulation, roofing, fireproofing, and sound absorption. The shipbuilding industry has used asbestos to insulate boilers, steam pipes, and hot water pipes. The automotive industry uses asbestos in vehicle brake shoes and clutch pads. Asbestos has also been used in ceiling and floor tiles; paints, coatings, and adhesives; and plastics. In addition, asbestos has been found in vermiculite-containing garden products and some talc-containing crayons.

Is it Dangerous?

People may be exposed to asbestos in their workplace, their communities, or their homes. If products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, these fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems including a form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Reducing exposure to asbestos is the best prevention against asbestosis. In the United States, federal law requires employers in industries that work with asbestos products — such as construction — to take special safety measures.

Many homes, schools and other buildings built before the 1970s have materials such as pipes and floor tiles that contain asbestos. Generally, there’s no risk of exposure if the asbestos is enclosed and undisturbed. It’s when materials containing asbestos are damaged that there’s a danger of asbestos fibers being released into the air and inhaled. Always have asbestos products inspected and repaired or removed by trained and accredited asbestos professionals.

Download our Plan Brochure

We are thrilled to share more details about our goals, plans, and what it’ll take to achieve those. By downloading this brochure, you'll be added to our email list for future updates. We will not sell or share your email address with any outside parties.

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We are committed to your privacy. Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation uses the information you provide to us to contact you about exciting events and future fund-raising opportunities. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, check out our privacy policy .

Hard Hat Tour

An insider’s look into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into crafting truly great bourbon. See the distillation process first hand-from the grain delivery and mashing in our recently installed 20,000 gallon mash cookers, to fermentation and distillation. The tour includes a stop at the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Microstill, where the Distillery’s unique and award-winning Experimental Collection whiskies are made, and finishes in our state-of-the-art Dryhouse in the repurposed Warehouse B, built in 1881.

Tour route includes stairs, elevated grated flooring, tight corridors, continuous walking, noisy equipment, and dust. Closed toe shoes are required and we suggest dressing according to the weather. Those with acrophobia and/or fear of walking across metal grates may want to seek a different tour. For safety purposes, this tour is not available for guests under 12 years old.

All tours are complimentary and include a tasting of some of our award-winning products.

Tour Details

Tour sizes are limited,  Check availability  of all tours by time and date.

Due to limited quantities of our whiskeys, we only offer a few brands for tasting and purchasing in our Visitor Center.   Learn More

Tour & Tasting

90 Minutes + Tasting

113 Great Buffalo Trace, 

Frankfort, KY 40601

Buffalo Trace Distillery Tours & Tastings

Distillery hours.

Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is closed Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.  

Gift Shop Hours

Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.

Photography Guidelines

Click here to view information on our Photography Guidelines

Driving Directions

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Sponsor: This Old House Insider Hard Hat Tour Giveaway (“Giveaway”) is sponsored by This Old House Ventures, LLC, 262 Harbor Drive, Stamford, CT 06902 (“Sponsor”).

Giveaway Entry Period: The Giveaway starts at 12:00:01 AM Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday, February 24, 2020 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on Thursday, March 5, 2020 (“Giveaway Entry Period”). A Day starts at 12:00:01 AM ET and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET each calendar day of the Giveaway Entry Period.

Eligibility: Giveaway open only to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) 21 years of age or older at time of entry. Employees of Sponsor and members of those employees’ immediate families (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) or those living in the same household are not eligible to participate. Unless otherwise stated in the specific Official Contest Rules, winners for all This Old House Insider contests including giveaways or sweepstakes for prizes, events, or experiences are limited to one (1) prize per household for any sixty (60) day period. Giveaway is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void in Quebec and where prohibited by law.

How to enter: Insider Members enter at “ Giveaway Website “, by providing your contact information and submitting during the Giveaway Entry Period. You can also enter without being a This Old House Insider Member by sending an email to [email protected] , providing your name, phone number, and email address during the Giveaway Entry Period. Receipt of Entries will not be acknowledged or returned. Limit one Entry per Day. Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered, or mass entries or entries generated by a script, macro, or use of automated devices are void. All Entries and requests become Sponsor’s property and will not be returned or acknowledged.

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Prize: 15 prizes will be awarded consisting of two passes for entry to the wrap party for the Cape Ann House project. Winner is responsible for travel to and from the event and all local, state, and federal taxes, if any, on the prize. Prize will be awarded to the individual who submitted an Entry and is non-transferrable. The value of the prize is not subject to a retail value and is therefore priceless!

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Tour Waiver | Making the Most of Your Liability Release Form

Imagine you own and manage a boat tour center named Bear Creek Kayak Rentals . As a tour company, your mission is offering a wonderful, fun, and memorable experience for your customers. However, another top priority is safety— for both your customers and your organization. Your liability waiver is the first step to implementing a safety net for both parties. Not only does it inform your customers about the risks associated with the tour activity, but it also provides a release of liability for your company. For instance, just last week a visitor to Bear Creek Kayak Rentals was injured on a tour. A participant had fallen overboard and ended up hitting her head. While the customer wasn't seriously injured, there was the initial concern as to the safety of the participant. Understandably. And yet— because of the tour waiver she signed— she understood that there was a risk going into the activity in the first place, and it was one that she assumed responsibility for. Release of liability waivers can be more than just a precaution, though! Your waivers offer unique opportunities to help your company stay organized, better market your adventures, and ease the registration process while simultaneously ensuring safety for all parties. How does that happen? Well, we'll answer that question through a series of other questions. Here are some of the primary considerations for your company when you think about your tour waiver:

Why are tour waivers important for your company?

Why invest in an online tour waiver.

• What are your users expecting from the tour waiver?

What features should you look for in tour waiver software?

How do you analyze the pricing of tour waiver software.

Ready to learn more about how to make the most of your liability waiver? Let's get started!

Tour waivers are first and foremost a release of liability. However, it's important to remember that the enforceability of a release of liability differs by state regulations. Therefore, be sure to check your state's rulings about liability waivers and consult a lawyer before making your tour waiver public. Tour waivers are important because they protect your business from lawsuits for negligence in the event of an accident. For Bear Creek Kayak Rentals , tour waivers are essential because of the inherent risk present in the activity. It's protection for both your company and the participant. The tourism industry is prone to risk, and informing participants about such risks, as well as asking them to release your business from responsibility in case of an accident, keeps everyone a little bit safer. Remember that waivers aren't necessarily a no-lawsuit-no-problems safeguard. Gross negligence is hard to excuse even with a comprehensive liability waiver. Therefore, your organization still needs to act responsibly. When it comes to ensuring the language of your waiver, be sure your organization follows these best practices:

• Conduct research on the background of your state's liability release decisions.
• Take inventory of the risks associated with the activity tour you planned.
• Look at a variety of tour waiver samples from similar organizations and activities.
• Consult a lawyer about your particular organization's tour waiver.

Just having a waiver isn't enough. You need to make sure your waiver includes all the necessary information to enforce safety for the risks associated with your individual tour activities. Plus, when you have the right kind of waiver, you can ensure safety while also boosting daily operations and becoming a more efficient organization overall.

You're aware that your organization needs a waiver, but have you given consideration as to how to make the waiver , what form that waiver should be in, and how your patrons can access it? Your company can choose between a paper and a digital waiver to communicate safety information and a release of liability to your participants. We recommend investing in a digital waiver solution. One of the first questions people ask when it comes to digital waivers is, "Are they legal?" The answer is: yes! According to the E-Sign Act of 2000 , digital waivers are just as valid as paper waivers so long as organizations adhere to some additional regulations, including:

• The waiver must be in a digital form.
• The waiver must be accessible to the consumer.
• The consumer must give consent to sign electronically.

The Act itself states that "a signature, contract, or other record relating to such transaction may not be denied legal effect, validity, or enforceability, solely because it is in electronic form."

You may be thinking, "Okay, sure, it's legal, but why does that mean it's the better choice?" Well, digital waivers offer many advantages over paper waivers. Two advantages are an easier (and safer) filing method and a faster and more efficient signing process.

Digital tour waivers have the unique ability to be saved online, meaning everything is accessible within a waiver console. Instead of storing physical papers in drawers and file cabinets which can be easily disorganized or damaged, everything you need is available at your fingertips. You could go through the trouble of scanning paper waivers into a digital format, but that requires an additional step and much time and energy from your staff.

Plus, with a digital solution, it's easy to distribute the tour waiver ahead of time and encourage early signatures. Then, when people arrive for the tour, you can get started that much faster.

What are your users expecting of the tour waiver?

We know you want to wow your customers with your incredibly unique waiver for your organization. However, be careful with how you go about impressing them. While you could take the graphic liberties of filling white space with images and colors, the best way to impress your customers is simply fulfilling (and exceeding) their expectations when it comes to including important information. Again, referencing tour waiver samples can help you get an idea of what your waiver should look like. Your tour attendees have two main expectations for your tour waiver: the form should be accessible and it should provide all of the necessary safety information.

The tour waiver should be accessible.

To make sure your waiver is accessible to all audiences, you'll need to carefully consider the different audiences you may encounter. Ask yourself questions such as:

Is my activity tour available for both adults and children?

What language(s) do the majority of my customers speak?

Does my waiver differ from year to year?

Is my waiver worded in a way that's easy to understand?

Then, make sure your waiver is fully accessible to all users with features such as multi-language tools, parent/guardianship relationship settings, and waiver expirations.

After you've made some key considerations like these, you can start thinking about the kind of content you'll need to include.

Tour waivers should communicate key safety information.

One of the primary purposes of your tour waiver is to inform your attendees of the potential risks of participating in your adventure tour. It's also designed to keep your organization safe from potential liability concerns. Therefore, you'll need to be sure your waiver has features to communicate safety precautions and concerns applicable to both parties. Features to ease such communication include:

• Auto photo capture. This provides proof of the identity of the person who signed the waiver because it takes a picture of the attendee as they sign.
• Flagged questions. Set up custom questions that flag participants when a specific answer is chosen. This is an easy way to learn about any specific needs that may slow a participant down or require your team to give them special attention during the tour.
• Safety videos. If you need to give concrete safety instructions for your tour attendees, embed a video into your digital waiver. For example, if you require participants to watch a boating safety video before signing, you can rest assured the vital information was communicated.
• Statement of risks. Be sure to explicitly mention all potential risks involved in the activity so that participants are aware of exactly what they're getting themselves into. This way, your tour attendees also know what to watch out for, too!

Collecting and communicating important safety information is a necessary aspect of your waiver and your tour company's responsibility to your customers. Plus, attendees expect to have all of the information they need before they take on a new adventure.

As you can imagine, it would be impossible to implement an auto photo capture feature or embed a safety video on a paper waiver. But these aren't the only features that make a more efficient tour waiver solution. Finding a software solution with all of the best features will help your company engage your attendees and ease their signing process. The features you look for should help ease the process when it comes to using the waiver software, marketing your tour waiver, and managing the data collected through waiver distribution.

Using Tour Waiver Software

One wonderful thing about waiver software is that you can present the form on multiple devices and in different formats to best satisfy your attendees. Some usability features to look for include:

• Waiver kiosk options.   While many people will choose to sign your waiver online on your website or social media account, some people will still expect to sign at the tour location itself. Therefore, make sure you offer a way for them to sign upon arrival. Look for a waiver solution with an app that can easily transform your tablet into a waiver kiosk.
• Offline accessibility.   This is an especially important feature for your kayaking tour company and other providers of outdoor activities. Wifi tends to be spotty (at best) while outdoors, so ensuring offline accessibility is key for everyone to access the waiver upon arrival for the tour.
• QR code.   Lines can build quickly at your waiver kiosk, which is exactly what you're trying to avoid. Speed up the process by allowing participants to sign via their own smartphone if they choose. A QR code connects the participant to the waiver quickly and easily on a phone. Note: to take advantage of this feature, you must also make sure your waiver is mobile-responsive.
• Check-in features.   Look for a solution that also offers check-in features so that you know who is in attendance regardless of whether they signed online ahead of time or upon their arrival. Simply search your attendee's name and check it off the list of tour participants.

When people can access your waiver from their preferred device, it kicks off their engagement on the right foot. For example, your eager kayaking participants can sign your tour waiver ahead of time, check-in from their mobile device, and enjoy a streamlined registration process. The more quickly they get to the water, the better.

Marketing Your Tour Waiver

Ensuring your waiver is easily accessible to all is an incredibly important first step. However, it's also important to make sure people know where to find your tour waiver. This is where marketing comes into play. 

• A waiver widget. If you've review tour waiver samples from other organizations, you may have seen waiver widgets on their websites. Waiver widgets appear like a tab on your site, and they make it easy for an attendee to find and sign your tour waiver without ever leaving the website.
• Web button.   Create a customized web button for your company's website to link directly to your organization's waiver. Make sure to include a strong call-to-action on the button!
• Email links.   Send a link to your waiver directly to your interested participants with email links. This takes out the search step of signing your waiver for participants.
• Social media embedding.   Embed your tour waiver on Facebook so that your social media viewers will have immediate access to your form as they view other marketing collateral.

What good is your waiver going to do if no one knows where to find it? Make sure you incorporate your waiver into the rest of your company tour's marketing campaign.

Using Waiver Data

While the top priority for your tour waiver is liability protection and communicating safety concerns, that doesn't mean these are the waiver's only purposes. Your tour waiver is a great avenue to collect data that can be used in the future.  For instance, automatically exporting the names and contact information of your tour attendees is a great way to improve and expand your organization's CRM.

This prevents you from manually inputting information about new and existing participants in this database, while continuously gathering key insights about your boat tour attendees! 

Other features to look for in software that can help you save and use waiver data include:

• Email integrations.   Instead of taking a step to download all email addresses and reload them into your marketing tech, look for waiver software that integrates with popular email marketing platforms. This will streamline the process of expanding your marketing strategy based on the data pulled from your waiver.
• Waiver console.   Sometimes you'll need quick access to the data you collect from supporters. Look for waiver software with a centralized console system that makes it easy to scroll and search through your tour participants.
• Notes.   Notes are handy for saving quick snippets of information about each of your participants to be used in the future. These notes should download with the rest of your participant data as a part of the CSV file. For instance, you may note that this is John Smith's 10th tour with your company! Make a note to send him a congratulatory letter.

Access to this information is great for your organization, but don't forget the safety concept we keep coming back to. In order to truly protect your participant's data, you should consider a waiver software with user permissions so that only administrators have access to sensitive data.

So we've established that investing in digital form software is the best option for your next tour waiver. So the next natural question is, "How much will it cost me?"

There are two separate pricing systems you can look for when it comes to waiver tech:

The Number of Waivers Pricing Model

The first (and best) pricing system relies strictly on the number of waivers a company needs. With this system, companies only pay for the number of waivers they need and all of the features are included.

This is beneficial for organizations of all shapes and sizes. It shows a clearer view of the services your tour company is paying for. Plus, there are fewer hidden costs, creating a more predictable and budget-friendly waiver pricing system. This type of pricing also benefits smaller organizations because they have access to more functionality.

The Additional Feature Pricing Model

In this pricing model, the lower the price of the package, the fewer features you have access to for the waiver tech. When you upgrade and purchase larger packages, you add on additional features. Generally, these systems will also use the number of waivers as a price variable. For instance, you may get half of the features and 100 waivers at the lowest price point, but to access more features, you need to increase your package to the more premium option.

This pricing model puts smaller organizations at a disadvantage because they would need to purchase larger packages for features. A smaller one would be more affordable, but also more limiting.

For example, if you only have 100 kayaking participants, you wouldn't want to splurge on a pricier package for additional waivers you might not need. But you also don't want to miss out on useful features due to a lower demand for waivers in the short term

Try Smartwaiver Today

Smartwaiver offers all of the features listed above, from Auto Photo Capture to Safety Video embedding and more.

Plus, with Smartwaiver, you'll have a team of professionals ready to help you make the transition from paper waivers to a digital solution.

Get started by signing up for a free trial today!

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