Jean Parker Phifer, New York-based architect and author of Public Art New York, reads a selection on the Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States and is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and liberty. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated a National Monument on October 15, 1924. It became a World Heritage Site in 1984. The island was extensively restored and reopened on July 4, 1986, shortly before the Statue's centennial in October 1986. The island is open to the public.