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Step 1
Search through ship manifests at the American Family Immigration History Center for immigrating family members. Over 22 million passenger records are held by the repository. The Center estimates that over 40 percent of America's population can trace their ancestors through Ellis Island.
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Step 2
Watch the award winning documentary "Island of Hope, Island of Tears." This 30 minute talk plays at regular times throughout the day. You'll need to get a free ticket at the information desk to guarantee your admittance for a particular show.
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Step 3
View the theatrical program put on by the National Park Service several times per day. The program brings to life some of the immigrant stories of individuals who passed through Ellis Island. An oral history project obtained the stories and the program is performed by professional actors.
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Step 4
Attend a genealogy workshop put on by the National Archives monthly. The workshop shows individuals how to search and gather information from the Ellis Island records and how to interpret the data. These workshops provide valuable information for anyone interesting in tracing their family tree.
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Step 5
Tour the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. You can purchase an audio tour or take a guided ranger tour of the museum in addition to doing a self-guided tour of the museum's exhibits. Learn about the history of the immigration station and read the stories of some of the individuals who passed through.
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Step 6
Look over the Wall of Honor and purchase the right to have a name added. The Wall of Honor overlooks the Statue of Liberty and records some of the names for individuals who were processed at Ellis Island. You can arrange to have a name added to the wall by paying the fee.
