Statue of Liberty to close for yearlong repairs

Monument will close on Oct. 28, after the 125th anniversary of its dedication

The Statue of Liberty will close for a year at the end of October as it undergoes a $27.25 million renovation that will make the interior safer and more accessible, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced Wednesday.

The renovations, however, are limited to the monument and Liberty Island will remain open and the statue itself will be mostly unobstructed from view, officials said in a statement.

Tegan Firth, a spokeswoman for Statue Cruises, which on an average Saturday during the summer ferries about 18,000 people to Liberty Island, said the renovation won't have a significant impact on visitation.

"The entire experience of visiting these national landmarks of the United States remains absolutely the same," she said.

The National Parks Service, which manages the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, said it will close the monument on Oct. 28, after the 125th anniversary of its dedication.