Reopening of Statue of Liberty postponed

The Statue of Liberty is set to open to the public on August 3, after being closed for nearly three years to visitors, local media reported Thursday.

Visitors will be allowed to go inside the base of the statue, where there is a museum, but they will still be banned from climbing up the stairs to Lady Liberty's crown. They will be permitted to look up inside the statue through a glass ceiling and onto the observation deck, official sources said.

Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty stands, was reopened three months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but the statue itself has remained closed pending the completion of safety and security upgrades, including an emergency notification system and more exits.

Earlier, the National Park Service said it would open the base of the statue to the public on July 4, the Independence Day. However, authorities later said more time was needed out of security concerns.

National Park Service Director Fran Mainella said work had beendone to make the landmark safer for visitors, including extra protection in case of fire.

Last week, federal authorities held a disaster drill for workers on the nearby Ellis Island to prepare for the reopening ofthe statue.