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INTRODUCING the Ellis Island Museum Reimagined Campaign! | CELEBRATE your family story – add a name to the WALL OF HONOR!

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Experience the icon in person., ellis island, make the voyage, walk in the footsteps of history., help keep liberty alive..

• Search Passenger and Ship Records
• Views from Lady Liberty
• Let Us Start Your Search!
• Genealogy Tips

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• Famous Names in the Ellis Island Database
• Ellis Island Museum Reimagined
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• Make a Donation
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• Statue of Liberty Click for more info Overview + History Statue of Liberty Museum The Role of the Foundation The Future of Liberty
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Tools for learning more about the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Your Family Heritage

Tips, tutorials & recommendations.

Through its mission, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is committed to fostering knowledge and interest in the history of these two great American monuments. While nothing can replace an in-person visit, SOLEIF’s library of remote learning experiences offers a taste. Among the resources you will find:

• Virtual experiences, including one that takes you inside the Statue of Liberty for an unprecedented look at her history, construction, and views of NY Harbor
• Tips for using the Passenger Search database to discover your family’s connection to Ellis Island
• Videos vignettes exploring the Ellis Island immigrant experience
• A Lady Liberty Art Project
• Links to recommended webinars, activities, crafts, and educational materials

An Ellis Island Expedition

Join five Park Rangers as they explore the history and significance of Ellis Island. This five-part video series, produced by our partners at the National Park Service, discusses the immigrant experience from the Transatlantic Journey to the Inspection Process to the start of life in America.

NYC Landmarks

It seems every New York City block was influenced by an immigrant, including many who arrived through Ellis Island. The American Family Immigration History Center database documents the arrival of these notable citizens. This Google Map pinpoints and provides background on locations that demonstrate the impact of these immigrants.

If you’re in the Big Apple, or are just curious, take a real or virtual stroll to see the influence of Ellis Island Immigrants on New York – and the entire country.

Genealogy Research Tips

For tips on searching the Foundation’s Passenger Records, download our Tips & Tricks Guide and find resources in our Genealogy Primer and from genealogist Megan Smolenyak.

For help jumpstarting your Genealogical Journey, become a VOYAGE Member and receive a “Dedicated Passenger Search” session to be teamed with one of our research experts!

STORIES FROM ELLIS

Understanding manifests: names crossed out.

Dispelling Myths: Names Not Changed at Ellis Island

What Happened When Immigrants were Detained at Ellis

What Happened When A Stowaway was Discovered

What Happened When A Baby was Born at Sea

What Happened When A Passenger Died at Sea

VIDEO TUTORIALS

How to search our database.

Research Tips & Tricks

Download Tip Sheet

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

Statue of liberty ar experience.

Discover the Statue of Liberty in a new and innovative way with this unique AR experience, available on iOS. A rich curation of stories and visual media walks you through more than 150 years of the Statue’s history — from her origins in France in 1865 to the opening of the Statue of Liberty Museum. Among the features: Torch Panorama, Making of Liberty, and Historical Timeline. The app also offers two immersive audio experiences.

Lady Liberty Virtual Tour

This first-of-its-kind interactive experience takes you on a virtual tour of Lady Liberty. “Climb” up her double helix stairway and examine the folds of the copper and armature bars that form the Statue’s shape. From the Crown, take in images of New York Harbor. Even access the arm and Torch, which have been closed to the public since 1916. The Museum tour features majestic images of the Inspiration Gallery and Liberty Vista.

Virtual Liberty Museum Visit

Step inside the Statue of Liberty Museum to explore the Inspiration Gallery, home to the Statue’s original torch, and Engagement Gallery where exhibits tell the story of Lady Liberty’s history. With this virtual experience you can make your way to the Liberty Vista for breathtaking views of New York Harbor and gaze upon the Statue from the Island’s pedestrian walkway.

Through the Golden Door

Our National Park Service partners collaborated with Scholastic to create a virtual field trip to Ellis Island. Spend time with Rangers from the National Park Service to learn about the history of Ellis Island and the immigrant experience at the nation’s first Federal Immigration Station.

Views From Lady Liberty

The Foundation, in collaboration with the National Park Service and EarthCam, offers four unique perspectives from the Statue of Liberty, along with a stunning shot of Liberty Island from the shores of Brooklyn. Interactive cameras feature views of New York Harbor, the New York City Skyline, historic Ellis Island, and the Statue itself.

The New Colossus

This reciting of The New Colossus features the voices of visitors to Liberty Island.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

-Emma Lazarus November 2, 1883

Stranger, I find myself lost. Let us watch this new age gather Overhead. Let’s see what rains onto unaccustomed skin. Once, we were pelt, fur, hide. Only the seasons mattered. Now, We shiver, crying out. Not from winter, but the fear in skin. I see the tall masts of history in horizon fog. They dip And rise. The tides they ride swell under human skin. Be my guest. Drink tea, taste fruit and bread. The meat rests, Cooling on the slab, but see how wine has flushed our skin? This land you’ve sought is peopled with enemies and kin. You’ll learn to read the whole long story written on skin. We passengers wait. Our restless waiting forms an island. One woman stands, sings. Her music enters through my skin. Stranger, you’re the words to a hymn I’ve only ever hummed. Come. Let’s erase the distance between skin and skin.

-Tracy K. Smith United States Poet Laureate, 2017-2019

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Virtual Backgrounds

Have some fun with your virtual meetings.

Since 1886, Lady Liberty has stood tall as a reminder of who we are as a nation and the ideals we embrace. Located just past the Statue,  Ellis Island welcomed millions of immigrants a nd offered the promise of a new  life and  opportunity.     

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation invites you to transport yourself to Liberty and Ellis Islands. Travel to New York harbor and stand in Liberty’s glow with these virtual backgrounds!

Zoom, or the video platform of your choice, provides directions for saving an image and making the background visible on your computer.

Select images courtesy of EarthCam, Peter Lehrer, National Park Service

Webinars & Podcasts

Oral history how-tos.

Oral histories are a valuable tool for capturing and safeguarding your family’s story. This series of discussions with genealogy experts from around the world offers best practices for capturing Oral Histories. Episodes are available on the Foundation’s Stories From Ellis Island YouTube channel.

Conversations With...

Conversations With… Reflections on Lady Liberty  & The Immigrant Experience . Enjoy a discussion between Steve Briganti and Foundation board member Andrew Tisch, a business leader and philanthropist whose book Journeys: An American Story features 72 essays celebrating the vastness and variety of immigration tales in America.

The Learning Zone

Teachers, parents, or anyone curious to learn more about these two great American monuments will find ample resources among the National Park Service’s curriculum materials.

Use Math skills to measure How Big is the Statue of Liberty? ARTifact! incorporates Language Arts and Social Studies. Tap your inner scientist with  Preserving a Symbol to learn why the Statue changed colors.

What will you and your kids learn today?

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Scholastic’s blog about books and the joy of reading

Take a virtual field trip to Ellis Island

Lia zneimer  //  nov 12, 2014.

Though Ellis Island no longer serves as one of the nation's central immigration hubs, its rich history has been beautifully preserved. But if you can't make it to New York to see it in person, not to worry!

"Coming to America," our free virtual field trip to Ellis Island , takes students in grades 3–8 on an interactive tour. On the website, they can take an interactive tour, explore immigration data in a digestible way, and watch an awesome webcast that was actually filmed on location. Oh, and did we mention there are accompanying teaching resources and digital activities? You can check it out here .

Photo via Jill/Blue Moonbeam Studio on Flickr

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Games and Learning

Interactive Tour of Ellis Island

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http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/

Social Studies | Grades 3-8

The Interactive Tour of Ellis Island engages students with the history of immigration in America.

• Kids explore the history of Ellis Island through an interactive map, historical timeline, audio, video clips and photos
• Web-based activity works on any device, including Chromebook

Each section of the Interactive Tour includes a Teacher's Guide linked on the top banner of the page

The Interactive Tour of Ellis Island is free to access . Additional educator resources can be found on the bottom of this page: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/index.htm .

• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.

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Immigration | Stories of Yesterday and Today

A new land 1492-1790.

Expanding America 1790-1880

The american dream 1880-1930, a place of refuge 1930-1965.

Building a Modern America 1965-Today

The beautiful land of the New World amazed the European explorers who arrived on North American shores around 1500. They realized the economic possibilities of the fertile soil and many natural resources. In the 17th century, Europeans established successful permanent settlements in what is now the United States. The European settlers soon dominated the Native American civilizations, which had existed for thousands of years. The major European powers (including England, Spain, and France) established colonies,

which are lands controlled by a faraway government. The people who lived in the colonies were called colonists. Enduring great hardship, the colonists built new communities in the New World

The Explorers

In 1492, Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer and excellent sailor, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of a shorter trade route to Asia. After more than two months at sea, he landed in the Bahamas in the Caribbean islands. Although Columbus never reached the mainland of North America, he had discovered the gateway to a vast continent unexplored by Europeans. Columbus returned to Europe believing he had reached previously unknown islands in Asia. Word of the new route spread in Europe. Over the next few decades, other explorers followed in Columbus's wake, hoping to take advantage of the shortcut to Asia. It would be another Italian explorer, named Amerigo Vespucci, who realized that what had actually been discovered was a continent unknown to Europeans. He called it the New World.

New Settlements

European nations—including Spain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and England—vied to claim pieces of the new land. In the 1600s, England founded colonies along the Atlantic seaboard, from what is now New Hampshire to Georgia. These original 13 colonies would eventually become the United States of America. Spain founded a colony at Saint Augustine, Florida, as early as 1565 and would go on to claim parts of what are now the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. France established colonies along the Saint Lawrence River, in what is now Canada; and also in the southern part of North America, in the region that is now Louisiana. The Dutch began the settlement of New Amersterdam on the southern tip of what is now Manhattan Island, home to part of New York City. The European countries often fought each over ownership of the new land; more land meant more power and economic opportunity.

Jamestown Succeeds

In 1607, England sent 100 men to America to found a new colony. The colony was named Jamestown after King James I and was located on the coast of what is now Virginia. It would become the first English colony to succeed in America, but its beginning was exceptionally difficult. The colonists were hoping to find gold easily, but didn't. And tragically, they hadn't anticipated how hard it would be to survive in the New World. More than half of the settlers died in the first year because of the harsh winters, poor planning, and disease. But under the leadership of the colonist John Smith, the colony began to succeed. They grew tobacco, which was sent back to England and sold for profit. With the profit, the colonists had the money to plant other crops, such as wheat, grapes, and corn, which is a food native to North America. By 1620, Jamestown plus other settlements that sprang up nearby had a population of about 4,000. The colony was thriving. This economic success gave England a powerful interest in protecting its foothold in the New World.

Slavery Begins

Africans first arrived in North America in 1619. In that year, 20 African people were brought to the Jamestown colony aboard a Dutch warship. They were slaves. They had been taken from their homes in Africa by force. They were beaten and enchained by men carrying weapons. Over the next almost 200 years, hundreds of thousands of Africans would be brought to America as slaves to work on plantations, especially to grow tobacco. By the end of the colonial period, Africans numbered about 500,000 and formed about 20 percent of the population of the United States.

The Pilgrims

Some colonies were formed because people wanted to escape religious persecution in Europe. In 17th century England, two groups of Christians, the Catholics and the Anglicans, were arguing over what religion and church should be the true church of England. Some of the Anglicans, called Puritans, thought that there should be more distinction between their Church of England and the Catholic Church. Some Puritans, called the Separatists, didn't want to belong to the Church of England at all anymore. King James, who was the head of the Church of England, would not allow the Separatists to practice religion on their own. To escape the situation in England, a small group of Separatists left Europe on the Mayflower ship. In 1620, the ship landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, carrying 102 passengers. Many were Separatists, who became known as the Pilgrims. They established Plymouth Colony. After the Pilgrims, many more people flocked to the new colonies for religious reasons: About 200,000 Puritans emigrated from England during the years 1620 to 1641.

Religious Freedom

After the Pilgrims, many other immigrants came to America for the religious freedom it offered. The colony of Maryland was founded in 1634 as a refuge for Catholics, who were persecuted in England in the 17th century. In 1681, William Penn began a Quaker colony in the land that was later named after him: Pennsylvania. The main settlement was Philadelphia, which prospered through farming and commerce. In 1685, 14,000 Huguenots who were persecuted in France also joined the growing English colonies.

Expanding Colonies

Early immigrants to America settled up and down the East Coast. Farming was difficult in the rocky soil of New England, so people grew only enough food for their families to live on. This is called subsistence farming. They also became fishermen, fishing cod in the Atlantic Ocean and selling it to the European markets. As they needed good ships for fishing, they started making them, becoming successful shipbuilders. In the South, where farming was easier, colonists started large plantations to grow crops, such as tobacco, rice, and indigo. Indigo was a rich blue dye, mainly used for dyeing textiles. Plantations depended on the free labor of the slaves. Many more slaves were forced to come to America to meet the demand for labor. By the time of the Revolutionary War, about 2.5 million people lived in the colonies, including approximately 450,000 Africans; 200,000 Irish; 500,000 Scottish and Scotch-Irish; 140,000 Germans; and 12,000 French.

As the colonies grew, people began to look past the natural barrier of the Appalachian Mountains. They moved west into the frontier lands, in what is now Ohio, and beyond.

A New Nation

The colonies grew prosperous and the population increased. Between the time of the first settlements and the Revolutionary War, about seven generations of people were born in America. Many of them no longer wanted to be ruled by the English throne. And they didn't want to pay taxes to the English government when they had no colonial representation in the Parliament. They became known as Patriots, or Whigs, and they included Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. The Loyalists were colonists who wanted to remain part of England. The Patriots and Loyalists were bitterly divided on the issue. In 1776, the Continental Congress, a group of leaders from each of the 13 colonies, issued the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration stated that the United States of America was its own country. The Patriots fought England in the Revolutionary War to gain independence for the colonies.

In 1783, with the help of the French, who had joined their side, the colonists won the war. The United States of America was a new nation. The new government conducted a census, or count, of everyone living in the United States. At the time of the first census in 1790, nearly 700,00 Africans and 3 million Europeans lived in the new United States.

• The Americas

In the decades after the Revolutionary War, the 13 original colonies grew to include states stretching from Maine in the north to Louisiana in the south; from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to Illinois in the west. As a new nation, the United States of America thrived. By 1820, the population had grown to nearly 10 million people. The quality of life for ordinary people was improving. People were moving west, creating towns along the route of the Transcontinental Railroad, which connected the entire country by rail, east to west, for the first time.

The prosperous young country lured Europeans who were struggling with population growth, land redistribution, and industrialization, which had changed the traditional way of life for peasants. These people wanted to escape poverty and hardship in their home countries. More than 8 million would come to the United States from 1820 to 1880.

Slavery Continues

At the turn of the 19th century, more than 1 million African Americans lived in the United States. As slaves, they were not considered citizens. Large farms and plantations depended on the free labor they provided in fields and homes. It was difficult, backbreaking work. In 1808, the United States government banned the importation of enslaved people into the country, although the practice did continue illegally. Slavery, however, was not abolished for nearly 60 more years.

The Irish and Germans

In the early and mid-19th century, nearly all of the immigrants coming to the United States arrived from northern and western Europe. In 1860, seven out of 10 foreign-born people in the United States were Irish or German. Most of the Irish were coming from poor circumstances. With little money to travel any further, they stayed in the cities where they arrived, such as Boston and New York City. More than 2,335,000 Irish arrived between 1820 and 1870. The Germans who came during the time period were often better off than the Irish were. They had enough money to journey to the Midwestern cities, such as Chicago, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, or to claim farmland. More than 2,200,000 Germans arrived between 1820 and 1870.

The Irish Potato Famine

In 1845, a famine began in Ireland. A potato fungus, also called blight, ruined the potato crop for several years in a row. Potatoes were a central part of the Irish diet, so hundreds of thousands of people now didn't have enough to eat. At the same time of the famine, diseases, such as cholera, were spreading. Starvation and disease killed more than a million people. These extreme conditions caused mass immigration of Irish people to the United States. Between 1846 and 1852, more than a million Irish are estimated to have arrived in America. The men found jobs building railroads, digging canals, and working in factories; they also became policemen and firemen. Irish women often worked as domestic servants. Even after the famine ended, Irish people continued to come to America in search of a better life. More than 3.5 million Irish in total had arrived by 1880.

Civil War and the End of Slavery

In the early 1860s, the United States was in crisis. The Northern states and Southern states could not agree on the issue of slavery. Most people in the Northern states thought slavery was wrong. People in South, where the plantations depended on slavery, wanted to continue the practice. In 1861, the Civil War began between the North and South. It would be an extremely bloody war; over 600,000 people would die in the fighting. Many immigrants fought in the war. Since immigrants had settled mostly in the North, where factories provided jobs and small farms were available, hundreds of thousands of foreign-born men fought for the Union. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all the slaves in the rebelling Southern states were free. It was the beginning of the end of slavery.

To ensure that the abolishment of slavery was permanent, Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which outlawed slavery throughout the United States. The 14th Amendment, adopted in 1868, declared that African Americans were citizens of the United States. In 1870, African Americans numbered almost 5 million and made up 12.7 percent of the U.S. population.

The Homestead Act

In the late 19th century, America was looking west. People began moving away from the now crowded Eastern cities. Some were motivated by the Homestead Act of 1862, which offered free land from the government. The government offered to give 160 acres of land—considered a good size for a single family to farm—in areas including Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Homesteaders were required to stay on the land, build a home, and farm the land for five years. The offer attracted migrants from inside the country—and waves of more immigrants from Europe. For example, many people from Sweden, where land was extremely scarce, were drawn to come to the United States. These brave settlers worked hard to start a new life on the frontier. Though life was difficult, many succeeded.

The Transcontinental Railroad

The Transcontinental Railroad was a massive construction project that linked the country by rail from east to west. The railway was built entirely by hand during a six-year period, with construction often continuing around the clock. Chinese and Irish immigrants were vital to the project. In 1868, Chinese immigrants made up about 80 percent of the workforce of the Central Pacific Railroad, one of the companies building the railway. The workers of the Union Pacific Railroad, another company that built the railroad, were mostly Irish immigrants. These railroad workers labored under dangerous conditions, often risking their lives. After the Transatlantic Railroad was completed, cities and towns sprung up all along its path, and immigrants moved to these new communities. The Transcontinental Railroad was a radical improvement in travel in the United States; after its completion, the trip from East Coast to West Coast, which once took months, could be made in five days.

By 1880, America was booming. The image of America as a land of promise attracted people from all over the world. On the East Coast, Ellis Island welcomed new immigrants, largely from Europe. America was "the golden door," a metaphor for a prosperous society that welcomed immigrants. Asian immigrants, however, didn't have the same experience as European immigrants. They were the focus of one of the first major pieces of legislation on immigration. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 severely restricted immigration from China.

And the 1907 "Gentlemen's Agreement" between Japan and the United States was an informal agreement that limited immigration from Japan. Despite those limitations, nearly 30 million immigrants arrived from around the world during this great wave of immigration, more than at any time before.

Ellis Island

In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison designated Ellis Island in New York Harbor as the nation's first immigration station. At the time, people traveled across the Atlantic Ocean by steamship to the bustling port of New York City. The trip took one to two weeks, much faster than in the past (when sailing ships were the mode of transportation), a fact that helped fuel the major wave of immigration. For many immigrants, one of their first sights in America was the welcoming beacon of the Statue of Liberty, which was dedicated in 1886. Immigrants were taken from their ships to be processed at Ellis Island before they could enter the country. About 12 million immigrants would pass through Ellis Island during the time of its operation, from 1892 to 1954. Many of them were from Southern and Eastern Europe. They included Russians, Italians, Slavs, Jews, Greeks, Poles, Serbs, and Turks. Explore the Ellis Island Interactive Tour

Bursting Cities

New immigrants flooded into cities. In places like New York and Chicago, groups of immigrants chose to live and work near others from their home countries. Whole neighborhoods or blocks could be populated with people from the same country. Small pockets of America would be nicknamed "Little Italy" or "Chinatown." Immigrants often lived in poor areas of the city. In New York, for example, whole families crowded into tiny apartments in tenement buildings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Many organizations were formed to try to help the new immigrants adjust to life in America. Settlement houses, such as Hull House in Chicago, and religious-based organizations worked to help the immigrants learn English and life skills, such as cooking and sewing.

Angel Island

On the West Coast, Asian immigrants were processed at Angel Island, often called the "Ellis Island of the West." Angel Island, which lies off the coast of San Francisco, opened in 1910. Although the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 restricted immigration, 175,000 Chinese came through Angel Island over a period of three decades. They were overwhelmingly the main group processed here: In fact, 97 percent of the immigrants who passed through Angel Island were from China. Explore the Angel Island Activity

Building America

Many of the immigrants who arrived in the early 20th century were poor and hardworking. They took jobs paving streets, laying gas lines, digging subway tunnels, and building bridges and skyscrapers. They also got jobs in America's new factories, where conditions could be dangerous, making shoes, clothing, and glass products. Immigrants fueled the lumber industry in the Pacific Northwest, the mining industry in the West, and steel manufacturing in the Midwest. They went to the territory of Hawaii to work on sugar cane plantations. Eventually, they bargained for better wages and improved worker safety. They were on the road to becoming America's middle class.

By the 1920s, America had absorbed millions of new immigrants. The country had just fought in the "Great War", as World War I was known then. People became suspicious of foreigners' motivations. Some native-born Americans started to express their dislike of foreign-born people. They were fearful that immigrants would take the available jobs. Some Americans weren't used to interacting with people who spoke different languages, practiced a different religion, or were a different race. Racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia (fear and hatred of foreigners) were the unfortunate result. In 1924, Congress passed the National Origins Act. It placed restrictions and quotas on who could enter the country. The annual quotas limited immigration from any country to 3 percent of the number of people from that country who were living in the United States in 1890. The effect was to exclude Asians, Jews, blacks, and non-English speakers.

The Great Depression and War in Europe

In the 1930s, the country was going through the Great Depression, a terrible period of economic hardship. People were out of work, hungry, and extremely poor. Few immigrants came during this period; in fact, many people returned to their home countries. Half a million Mexicans left, for example, in what was known as the Mexican Repatriation. Unfortunately, many of those Mexicans were forced to leave by the U.S. government. In 1933, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was formed. It still exists today. In 1938, World War II started in Europe. America was again concerned about protecting itself. Fears about foreign-born people continued to grow. As a result of the turmoil in the 1930s, immigration figures dropped dramatically from where they had been in previous decades. In the 1920s, approximately 4,300,000 immigrants came to the United States; in the 1930s, fewer than 700,000 arrived.

World War II and the Postwar Period

The United States entered World War II in 1942. During the war, immigration decreased. There was fighting in Europe, transportation was interrupted, and the American consulates weren't open. Fewer than 10 percent of the immigration quotas from Europe were used from 1942 to 1945. In many ways, the country was still fearful of the influence of foreign-born people. The United States was fighting Germany, Italy, and Japan (also known as the Axis Powers), and the U.S. government decided it would detain certain resident aliens of those countries. (Resident aliens are people who are living permanently in the United States but are not citizens.) Oftentimes, there was no reason for these people to be detained, other than fear and racism. Beginning in 1942, the government even detained American citizens who were ethnically Japanese. The government did this despite the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which says "nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without the due process of law."

Also because of the war, the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943. China had quickly become an important ally of the United States against Japan; therefore, the U.S. government did away with the offensive law. Chinese immigrants could once again legally enter the country, although they did so only in small numbers for the next couple of decades. After World War II, the economy began to improve in the United States. Many people wanted to leave war-torn Europe and come to America. President Harry S. Truman urged the government to help the "appalling dislocation" of hundreds of thousands of Europeans. In 1945, Truman said, "everything possible should be done at once to facilitate the entrance of some of these displaced persons and refugees into the United States. " On January 7, 1948, Truman urged Congress to "pass suitable legislation at once so that this Nation may do its share in caring for homeless and suffering refugees of all faiths.

I believe that the admission of these persons will add to the strength and energy of the Nation." Congress passed the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. It allowed for refugees to come to the United States who otherwise wouldn't have been allowed to enter under existing immigration law. The Act marked the beginning of a period of refugee immigration.

The Cold War Begins

In 1953, the Refugee Relief Act was passed to replace the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, which had expired. It also allowed non-Europeans to come to the United States as refugees. The Refugee Relief Act also reflected the U.S. government's concern with Communism, a political ideology that was gaining popularity in the world, particularly in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was also controlling the governments of other countries. The Act allowed people fleeing from those countries to enter the United States. When he signed the Act, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "This action demonstrates again America's traditional concern for the homeless, the persecuted, and the less fortunate of other lands. It is a dramatic contrast to the tragic events taking place in East Germany and in other captive nations." By "captive nations," Eisenhower meant countries being dominated by the Soviet Union.

In 1956, there was a revolution in Hungary in which the people protested the Soviet-controlled government. Many people fled the country during the short revolution. They were known as "fifty-sixers". About 36,000 Hungarians came to the United States during this time. Some of their countrymen also moved to Canada. In 1959, Cuba experienced a revolution, and Fidel Castro took over the government. His dictatorship aligned itself with the Soviet Union. More than 200,000 Cubans left their country in the years after the revolution; many of them settled in Florida.

Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act, also known as the Hart-Celler Act. This act repealed the quota system based on national origins that had been in place since 1921. This was the most significant change to immigration policy in decades. Instead of quotas, immigration policy was now based on a preference for reuniting families and bringing highly skilled workers to the United States. This was a change because in the past, many immigrants were less skilled and less educated than the average American worker. In the modern period, many immigrants would be doctors, scientists, and high-tech workers. Because Europe was recovering from the war, fewer Europeans were deciding to move to America. But people from the rest of world were eager to move here. Asians and Latin Americans, in particular, were significant groups in the new wave of immigration. Within five years after the act was signed, for example, Asian immigration had doubled.

Vietnamese Immigration and the Refugee Act

During the 1960s and 1970s, America was involved in a war in Vietnam. Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, on the Indochina peninsula. From the 1950s into the 1970s there was a great deal of conflict in the area. After the war, Vietnamese refugees started coming to the United States. During the 1970s, about 120,000 Vietnamese came, and hundreds of thousands more continued to arrive during the next two decades. In 1980, the government passed the Refugee Act, a law that was meant specifically to help refugees who needed to come to the country. Refugees come because they fear persecution due to their race, religion, political beliefs, or other reasons. The United States and other countries signed treaties, or legal agreements, that said they should help refugees. The Refugee Act protected this type of immigrant's right to come to America.

Latin American Immigration

During the 1980s, waves of immigrants arrived from Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Hundreds of thousands of people came just from Cuba, fleeing the oppressive dictatorship of Fidel Castro. This was a significant new wave of immigrants: During the 1980s, 8 million immigrants came from Latin America, a number nearly equal to the total figure of European immigrants who came to the United States from 1900 to 1910, when European immigration was at a high point. The new immigrants changed the makeup of America: By 1990, Latinos in the United States were about 11.2 percent of the total population.

A Multicultural America

Since 1990, immigration has been increasing. It is at its highest point in America's history. In both the 1990s and 2000s, around 10 million new immigrants came to the United States. The previous record was from 1900 to 1910, when around 8 million immigrants arrived. In 2000, the foreign-born population of the United States was 28.4 million people. Also in that year, California became the first state in which no one ethnic group made up a majority. Today, more than 80 percent of immigrants in the United States are Latin American or Asian. By comparison, as recently as the 1950s, two-thirds of all immigrants to the United States came from Europe or Canada.

The main countries of origin for immigrants today are Mexico, the Philippines, China, Cuba, and India. About 1 in 10 residents of the United States is foreign-born. Today, the United States is a truly multicultural society.

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Most of the immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island were from eastern and southern Europe. In many cases, they came to escape the poverty and religious intolerance that existed in small towns in countries such as Italy, Poland, and Russia.

They began their journey to America on foot, horseback, or train. Many trekked hundreds of miles across Europe to get to a seaport. When they arrived at the coast, they boarded a steamship.

The trip across the Atlantic Ocean lasted one to two weeks. The ships divided passengers by wealth and class. First- and second-class passengers stayed in staterooms and cabins. But most people were in third class, called "steerage." Steerage was a large, open space at the bottom of the ship.

As many as 3,000 people crowded the ships. They often came from different countries, spoke different languages, and belonged to different religions.

Traveling in Europe was often difficult. People sometimes had to walk far distances, carrying their possessions with them.

Immigrants traveled from Europe to America by steamship.

Ships were crowded with thousands of passengers.

Children wave the flag of their new country.

Passengers make time for dancing aboard the ship.

Photo: The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc./National Park Service

Emigrant and immigrant are related words

An emigrant is someone who leaves her home country to settle in another country. An immigrant is someone who has come from another country to settle in a new place, usually permanently.

The invention of steamships transformed immigration

Before the invention of steamships, people took sailing ships to come to America. The trip could take anywhere from one to six months! On steamships, tickets were less expensive and the trip was shorter, which helped prevent diseases from spreading onboard. So many more people decided to make the trip.

Districts [ edit ]

The city is divided by the River Oka into two major parts: the Upper city ( Verkhnyaya or Nagornaya chast ) on the hilly right side and the Lower city ( Nizhnyaya or Zarechnaya chast — what literally means "the part over the river") on the left bank of the river. The Upper city is the old historical part of Nizhny Novgorod, whereas the Lower city is larger, newer and consists of more industrial districts.

Understand [ edit ]

History [ edit ]

The city was founded by Grand Duke George II of Russia in 1221 at the confluence of two most important rivers of his principality, the Volga and the Oka. Its name literally means Newtown the Lower , to distinguish it from the older Novgorod . A major stronghold for border protection, Nizhny Novgorod fortress took advantage of a natural moat formed by the two rivers.

Along with Moscow and Tver, Nizhny Novgorod was among several newly founded towns that escaped Mongol devastation on account of its insignificance and grew up into important centers of Russian political life during the period of Tatar yoke. For a short period of time it was the capital of the Suzdal Principality and competed with Moscow for the power in the region. However the competition with Moscow was lost and in 1392 the city was incorporated into Muscovy. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin was built in 1508-1511 (under supervision of the Italian fortress engineers) and became one of the strongest Russian citadels. There is a legend saying that the project was initially developed with participation of Leonardo da Vinci. However there is no documented proof of Leonardo's work for that project, the only thing the legend is based on is the striking resemblance of Leonardo's sketches and the actual Kremlin schemes. The fortress was strong enough to withstand Tatar sieges in 1520 and 1536.

In 1612, the so-called national militia , gathered by a local merchant Kuzma Minin and commanded by Knyaz Dmitry Pozharsky expelled the Polish troops from Moscow, thus putting an end to the Time of Troubles and establishing the rule of the Romanov dynasty.

In 1817, the Makaryev Monastery Fair, one of the liveliest in the world the 16th-18th centuries, was transferred to Nizhny Novgorod, which thereupon started to attract numerous visitors and by the mid-19th century it turned Nizhny Novgorod into trade capital of the Russian Empire.

Under the Soviet period, the trade connections of the city were abandoned and Nizhny Novgorod became an important industrial centre instead. During the communist time the city was closed to foreigners to safeguard the security of Soviet military research. The physicist and the Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov was exiled there during 1980-1986 to limit his contacts with foreigners.

Climate [ edit ]

The climate in the region is humid continental and it is similar to the climate in Moscow , although colder in winter, which lasts from late November until late March with a permanent snow cover.

By car [ edit ]

Nizhny Novgorod is situated on the M7/E30 road. The road is in decent condition, although with traffic it can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to drive to/from Moscow .

By boat [ edit ]

Turflot [dead link] , Infoflot , and many other companies operate multi-day river cruises down the Volga from early May to the end of September.

Many companies operate passenger boat service between Moscow and Astrakhan , with stops at most cities along the Volga River.

Get around [ edit ]

By foot [ edit ].

The city centre is compact and walkable. However, there are many inclines or steps from the river banks. The bridges are not pedestrian friendly since the sidewalk is very narrow and cars drive extremely fast close to the pedestrians.

By city rail [ edit ]

The City Rail connects areas where there are no metro lines. Connects with the subway at the Moscow railway station. It has 2 lines: Sormovskaya and Priokskaya. The fare by train costs 28 rubles. According to the Citicard Transport Card, the fare is 26 rubles. Also by train you can get to the nearest suburb, or transfer to suburban trains to Dzerzhinsk, Bor, Semenov or Arzamas.

By bus and trolleybus [ edit ]

As of May 2017 in each district of the city there are several city bus routes. The number of trolleybus routes is much less. In one district of the city there are 1-2 trolleybus routes. Trolleybus routes are completely absent in the Leninsky city district. It is worth noting that trolleybuses do not connect the Lower City to the Upper. This is because the trolleybuses do not have enough power to climb the mountain.

The trolleybus network is divided into 3 parts:

• The upper trolleybus network (it unites all three districts - Nizhegorodsky, Sovetsky and Prioksky) with a turning circle on the Minin Square, near the Kremlin.
• The lower trolleybus network (connects Kanavinsky, Moskovsky and Sormovsky districts)
• The Avtozavod trolleybus network (connects all the distant sleeping microdistricts among themselves)

By tram [ edit ]

Throughout the city, land trams run. The longest route of all is 417. It connects the outskirts of Avtozavodsky district with the Moskovsky Rail Terminal. The journey takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The route passes through the sleeping areas (approximately 75% of the way). Also in remote neighborhoods there are routes of several more trams, but in most cases, they are in the Upper City. By the way, you can reach there by tram 27 or 10 directly from the Moscow railway station.

By marshrutka [ edit ]

Marshrutkas do not stop at every stop. To indicate your intention to exit a marshrutka, press a button and to indicate your intention to enter a marshrutka en-route, you need to wave your hand.

By bicycle [ edit ]

Nizhny Novgorod has not very developed bicycle infrastructure. Special bike paths exist only on the Upper-Volga and Lower-Volga embankments and on Rozhdestvenskaya Street.

The upper city is very hilly and full of steep inclines and even many locals will get off their bicycles and push their bikes up the hill by foot. Drivers can be reckless and pose a danger to cyclists. The roads can also be icy during the winter. City cyclists solve this problem by replacing summer tires with winter tires.

Also, in 2017 the implementation of a new integrated transport scheme of the city began. It provides for a large number of bicycle paths in the Upper City (including on Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street) and in the Lower City.

See [ edit ]

Monuments [ edit ]

• Monument to Valery Chkalov, the famous test pilot of the 1930s, known for his ultra long flight from Moscow to Washington State via the North Pole.
• Maxim Gorky, at the square named after him
• Alexander Pushkin (at the entrance to the Theatre of Opera and Ballet)
• 56.327974 44.001982 26 Prince George and Saint Simon of Suzdal , The Kremlin, St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral . Monument to the founders of the city of Prince Yuri II of Vladimir (also George Vsevolodovich) and Simeon of Suzdal ( updated Jun 2017 )

Religious [ edit ]

• Pechersky Ascencion Monastery , near Sennaya Square a couple miles east of downtown, halfway down the slope to Volga. With a cathedral and several churches surrounded by a restored stone wall, the monastery is the seat of the archbishops of Nizhny Novgorod.
• A big variety of other churches and convents.

Buy [ edit ]

Sleep [ edit ]

All hotels and hostels offer free Wi-Fi and many have computer terminals. Almost all accept credit cards. Hotels and hostels will usually provide a visa invitation and registration for an additional fee.

Connect [ edit ]

Phone [ edit ].

For information on purchasing a SIM card in Russia, see Russia#Connect .

Note that Nizhny Novgorod is in the Volga region zone, and SIM cards purchased elsewhere, such as in Moscow or Saint Petersburg , may be subject to roaming charges.

There are payphones in the streets; however, you can only buy phone-cards in the post offices and in a few newspaper kiosks.

Internet [ edit ]

Free WiFi is available in most hotels, shopping malls, university buildings, restaurants and cafes, the airport as well as several metro stations. There is also free public WiFi on B. Pokrovskaya street.

Cope [ edit ]

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• Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Tours, Attractions and Things To Do in Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod is the fifth largest city in Russia with a population exceeding 1.2 million. The city is located at the confluence of two rivers - the Volga and Oka. It is the center of Nizhny Novgorod region and Volga Federal District, as well as one of the country’s major administrative, economic and cultural centers.

Furthermore, Nizhny Novgorod is the Russia’s largest industrial center with the enterprises of mechanical engineering, metalworking information technology playing a leading role.

Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 1221 by Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich to protect Russian borders. Under Ivan III, Nizhny Novgorod was a sentry city. It had a regular army. This was the place for Moscow to march against Kazan.

Nizhny Novgorod made a great contribution to the construction of the Russian state. In 1612, Kuz’ma Minin and Prince Dmistry Pozharsky’s militia from Nizhny Novgorod played a decisive role in the liberation of Moscow from Polish intervention.

During the Soviet period from 1932 to 1990, the city was named after Maxim Gorky, the Great Russian writer who was born there. From 1959 to 1991 it was a “forbidden” city for foreigners because of defense plants, located there. On October 22, 1990 the city got its former name, and about at the same time, it began developping tourist business.

Today, the city, once playing such a significant role in the history of Russia, is developed into a modern metropolis. So, the urban development plan intends to build a metro bridge, cableway, funicular, and a new branched transport infrastructure there. Furthermore, Nizhny Novgorod is the Russia’s largest center of river cruise tourism and venue of Nizhny Novgorod fair-based major international exhibitions.

Nizhny Novgorod is one of the richest cultural centers of Russia. The most prominent artists have received education in the local theater and art schools. The city has opened a large number of theaters, museums and cinemas.

This city can surprise any traveler by an entwinement of modern and ancient buildings, each time rising before your eyes in a completely unexpected appearance.

Attractions

Miscellaneous.

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Nizhny Novgorod: A ‘Russian Detroit’ from 19th to 21st centuries (PHOTOS)

Dmitrievskaya Tower through the centuries.

Founded in 1221, Nizhny Novgorod (260 miles east of Moscow) is still one of the most visited and populated Russian cities (it has more than 1.2 million inhabitants). Its ancient kremlin, cozy paved streets with centuries-old buildings (a regular city plan was adopted after Empress Cathrine the Great visited the city in 1767) and scenic views of the Volga River warm the hearts of locals and tourists. By the way, many people confuse it with Veliky Novgorod (established in 859) in the north-west of Russia. In Russian, the word ‘Novgorod’ literally means “new city” and, luckily, there are only two in the whole country: ‘Lower new city’ and ‘Great new city’. One of the oldest and largest automobile plants that produces GAZ cars is still located in Nizhny (Russians often omit ‘Novgorod’) - and that’s why the city is often known as the ‘Russian Detroit’. In Soviet times, it bore the name of main Soviet writer Maxim Gorky , who was born there.

And despite its steel and metal history, today, Nizhny Novgorod has the poetic epithet of the capital of sunsets. We compared some vintage and recent photos of the city.

Dmitrievskaya Tower in 1913 and in 2021.

The stone citadel of Nizhny Novgorod was built in the 16th century around the Chasovaya (Sentry) Hill. Here is the most famous view of the fortress with the Dmitrievskaya Tower. Previously, a moat was dug in front of the tower, which was filled with water. At the end of the 18th century, the moat was filled and the tower sunk about 6 meters into the ground. The tower received its a-la Rus facade only at the end of the 19th century. 

2. National Unity Square 

Skoba square, 1957 / Monument to Minin and Pozharsky nowadays.

On Moscow’s Red Square, there is a monument to Minin and Pozharsky , who were the leaders of the people’s militia against the Polish intervention of 1611. Interestingly, exactly the same monument stands in Nizhny Novgorod! And all because the militia gathered there. City official Kuzma Minin called on all residents to fight and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky was chosen as the militia head. The date of Moscow’s liberation from the Poles (November 4) has been celebrated as National Unity Day in Russia since 2005. In the same year, Nizhny Novgorod’s Skoba Square, where the militia gathered, was renamed ‘National Unity Square’ and a monument to the two national heroes was erected there, as well.

3. Chkalov staircase

View on Nizhny Novgorod kremlin, Dyatlov hills and Chkalov stairs, 1886 and now.

With 560 steps, these are some of the longest stairs in Russia! The site where this staircase was built was called the ‘Volga Downhill’ and was very popular among locals, since it had one of the most picturesque views of the Volga. The stairs, named after a pilot named Valery Chkalov, connect the upper and lower embankments in the historical center of Nizhny Novgorod. Among the architects was Lev Rudnev , who worked in the Stalinist Empire style and designed the Moscow State University and the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw.

4. Kremlin funicular

Kremlin funicular in operation... and in ruins.

Amazing: At the end of the 19th century, in the center of Nizhny Novgorod, two funiculars operated near the kremlin. They literally worked on water. Imagine a water tank in the car: filled at the upper station, empty at the lower station. When one car went down, the lower one went up under its gravity. They would move at the same time. The funiculars were abandoned in the 1920s, when a tram line was completed. Today, only ruins remain in place of the historical funiculars, although the city administration has already promised to recreate this type of transport. There still is one funicular operating in Nizhny Novgorod, which connects it with the city of Bor on the other side of the Volga River.

5. Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street 

Bolshaya Pokrovskaya street in 1880s and 2021.

The main street of Nizhny Novgorod has undergone many changes over the centuries. Before the revolution of 1917, it was the favorite area of nobles to settle. Along the street, you can still see old stone mansions, theaters, churches. One of the most beautiful buildings is the main state bank built in Neo-Russian style. It was opened for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov house in 1913. At the beginning of the 20th century, a tram line passed there - one of the first in Russia. But, since the 1980s, the street has become pedestrian only.

6. Rozhdestvenskaya Street

Rozhdestvenskaya Street in 1890s and 2020.

A historical tram line has been preserved on the other oldest street, Rozhdestvenskaya. However, now it’s a tourist transport and it operates only in summer. The street has also preserved its appearance since pre-revolutionary times. There, you can see almost all the same buildings that were in Tsarist Russia, including the Stroganov and Golitsyn estates, the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Blinov Passage - the first shopping center outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Construction of the Burevestnik station, 1996 / Burevestnik station, 2009.

Nizhny Novgorod is one of the seven Russian cities with its own underground transport. The metro here was opened in 1985: In Soviet times, only cities with the population over 1 million residents had a subway. It consists of only two lines and sees about 115,000 commuters a day, which makes it less popular than ground transports. In the near future, there are plans to build new stations on the other side of the Oka River.

8. Referees Tower

Before and after restoration, 2021.

The Referees Tower built in the Neo-constructivist style on the embankment of the Grebnoy Canal was built in 1988 for the 2nd All-Union Youth Rowing Games. Over time, it was severely destroyed and only recently restored, for the 800th anniversary of the city. Of course, with cafes and places to relax. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

9. GAZ automobile plant

The first car assembly plant, 1930 / Gorky Automobile Plant, 2021.

The GAZ (Gorky Automobile Plant) plant in Nizhny Novgorod became one of the first in Russia. Early models of trucks and passenger cars were produced under a Ford license. In the 1920s-1930s, American specialists also helped to build the plant itself and the socialist city for workers In the post-war years, the ‘Volga’ and ‘Chaika’ cars were the most expensive among Soviet cars - a citizen’s dream! These days, the plant still operates, but produces mainly trucks and minibuses.

10. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 

High water in Nizhny Novgorod, 1890s/ The same district nowadays.

The Cathedral Church of Nizhny Novgorod is located in one of the most picturesque places of the city - on the arrow of the Volga and the Oka rivers. People used to call it ‘fair church’, since its parishioners were merchants who came to fairs from all over the country. It also was only open in the summertime. In the Soviet years, the iconostasis was dismantled for firewood to heat houses and then it was even planned to demolish it altogether and build a lighthouse and a monument to Lenin on the same site. Nevertheless, the cathedral was preserved (in the 1980s, it was restored by volunteers) and, in 2009, was reinstated as the city’s main church.

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• The Top 10 Things To...

Top 10 Things To Do And See In Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Located about 400km east of Moscow , Nizhny Novgorod is one of the most important centers of cultural, economic, and political activity in European Russia . Widely considered, after St Petersburg and Moscow, to be Russia’s ‘third city’, Nizhny is fast becoming a hot-spot for Russian and global tourists alike, attracted by the city’s up-and-coming reputation and stunning landscape.

The Kremlin

Jutting out from the cliffs that overlook the meeting point of the great Volga and Oka rivers, Nizhny Novgorod ‘s ancient Kremlin boasts of some of the best views in the city. Designed by an Italian architect, the 13 magnificent towers and the 12 meter high walls of Nizhny’s Kremlin date back to 1500. On this very spot in 1612, heroes of Russian history Kuzma Minin and Count Dmitry Pozharsky defeated the invading Polish army in extraordinary circumstances. This moment has become legend in Russian history and a statue in honor of these two lies at the foot of St Basil’s in Moscow. The Kremlin is the historic center of the city where you will find an art museum and the lovely Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, as well as a striking monument to those that fought in the Second World War and its flame eternally flickering on in their memory.

Completed in 2012, taking a ride on Nizhny Novgorod’s cablecar has fast become a favorite activity of tourists. The trip offers unparalleled opportunities to view the city’s gorgeous natural landscape from this bird’s eye position. The 3660m long gondola lift connects Nizhny to the town of Bor and stretches across the Volga River for 900 panoramic meters. The gondola acts as both a convenient means of transportation and a fantastic sight-seeing expedition – come at sunset for a golden-bathed view of the river and surrounding landscape.

The house-museum of Maxim Gorky

During the Soviet era, Nizhny Novgorod, birthplace of celebrated Russian writer Maxim Gorky , was renamed ‘Gorky’ in honor of this national hero. This home has been preserved in a state as accurate as possible to how it was left by Gorky and is so successful in this that it would seem as though the writer still lived there. The museum ‘s historic interiors and authentic furnishings will transport you back to the 1900s and the creative world of this icon of Russian literature. Come and make the most of this unique experience to delve into the childhood world of this Russian father of social realism. Museum booklets and guided tours are available in English.

Nizhegorodskaya Yarmarka

A yarmarka is something akin to a fair, and this historic former market place was restored in 1991, the site now playing home to a superb modern exhibition center. The city’s yarmarka plays host to international events, fairs, and conventions. In 2011, for the 20 year anniversary of the fair’s refounding, a vast array of exhibitions were organized, attended by thousands including members of the British royal family, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Gorbachev , and Margaret Thatcher . The fair is not only a buzzing center of business and culture, it is also one of the city’s most impressive sights.

The Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum

Located inside Nizhny Novgorod’s ancient Kremlin, the building that houses this art gallery was once the home of the governor of the city. The exhibits are wide-ranging and include everything from 14th century religious icons, to work by 20th century contemporary Russian masters. Particularly dazzling is the collection by Russian painter Nicholas Roerich. There is also a large arts and crafts collection which demonstrates the exquisite handiwork of Russian artisans throughout history.

1. Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street

Bolshaya pokrovskaya street.

An excellent spot to soak up the best of the city’s atmosphere, this pedestrian street lies in the heart of Nizhny Novgorod. The beautiful Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street is constantly buzzing and provides new and exciting sights at every turn. Gorgeous buildings and fountains tower on all sides – showcasing the best of Nizhny’s architecture. Quirky shop fronts and lovely local souvenirs will have you pausing at every window while the charming cafés will draw you in with their tempting aromas. Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street transforms by night into a vibrant hub of evening activity and is the place to come for a night-out in the city. The bars of this street are favorites with Nizhny Novgorod’s student population.

The Chkalov Staircase

An idyllic spot from which to watch the sun’s rays set over the city, this monumental creation was constructed by the Soviet government and is unique to the city of Nizhny Novgorod. The staircase derives its name from pilot Valery Chkalov who, in 1937, became the first man to fly from Moscow to Vancouver through the North Pole. A monument to Chkalov stands at the top of the stairs. The construction of the staircase cost almost 8 million rubles – an immense sum at the time. Over 1,500 stairs connect the city center with the river embankment – making Chkalov’s landmark the longest flight of stairs along the Volga. Nowadays the staircase is a favorite meeting place and relaxation spot for locals.

The Rukavishnikov Estate Museum

The Rukavishnikovs were a family of immensely wealthy merchants originating from the region around Nizhny Novgorod. This superbly restored palace , their former home, has been transformed into a museum of Russian history and gives a realistic snap-shot of life for the wealthy under tsarist rule. The ornate 19th century interiors and exquisite facade are sure to dazzle with their beauty while the lush green of the surrounding natural landscape provides a tranquil getaway from the city center. Lavish furnishings, priceless antiques, and glistening gold will transport you back in time to a world of balls, carriages, banquets, and tsars. Join the world of Russian noble ladies and gentlemen for a day in this stunning palace.

The Sakharov Museum

Nizhny Novgorod’s Sakharov Museum is dedicated to dissident Russian scientist Andrei Sakharov . The nuclear physicist and human rights activist was exiled for six years to the very flat in which the museum is now housed. Sakharov’s support for civil reform and improved human rights in the Soviet Union earned him harsh persecution from the Russian government, but also, in 1975, a Nobel Peace Prize . Sakharov was incarcerated here until 1986 when a KGB officer arrived to install a phone in the flat. Just after the phone was installed it began to ring: the caller was Mikhail Gorbachev, ringing Sakharov to inform him of his release. This phone is now one of the museum’s most treasured artifacts.

The National Centre of Contemporary Art

Inside the walls of Nizhny’s Kremlin can also be found one of the best modern art galleries in Russia. Linked to galleries in both St Petersburg and Moscow, this top-ranking exhibition center houses regularly changing displays of both Russian and international art as well as interactive exhibits and a media library. Progress is also on-going of adding a concert hall, extending the exhibition areas, and creating a restaurant. These additions aim to make art contemporary, not simply a detached, unrelatable concept, but bring it closer to the Russian people.

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Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

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Alla Koshechkina

I`m a Russian native of Nizhny Novgorod,  certified tourist guide and member of Nizhny ...

Marina Koroleva

Soy un guía ruso, miembro de la Asociación de Guías Turísticas de Moscú. Moscú licenció el ...

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I am student in RussianI can speak English, Russian and Arabic

Tatiana Baibikova

Hello! My name is Tania. I am a local giude in Nizhny Novgorod. This is a beautiful town. If you ...

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I'm a lively guy, passionate about sharing the beauty of my home country with my guests. Being ...

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Je m'appelle Nadine. Je parle français et je serais ravie de vous présenter notre ville. Je ...

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Alerts in effect, field trips.

Last updated: September 17, 2022

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Contact info, mailing address:.

Receiving Office 1 Ellis Island Jersey City, NJ 07305

212 363-3200

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