VIDEO: Statue Of Liberty's Original Torch Transported To New Home

LIBERTY ISLAND — With the new Statue of Liberty Museum opening in May, the museum has moved Lady Liberty's historic, original torch across Liberty Island through a painstaking process involving careful disassembly and transportation into the new museum.

The foundation's new Statue of Liberty museum will house the historic artifact, which was transported late last year to the museum's Inspiration Gallery.

EarthCam, a high-resolution webcam content provider, documented the torch's move from the Statue's pedestal into the new Statue of Liberty Museum in a time-lapse video released this month.

Video courtesy of EarthCam

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who built the Statue, envisioned the torch to be made from copper, reflecting sunlight to shine brightly during the daytime.

But after a century, much of the copper had been replaced with glass.

Back in 1984, the original torch was removed and replaced due to rainwater damage. The torch has been stowed away in Lady Liberty's pedestal since then.

Inside the pedestal, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation said access has been limited for security reasons after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The foundation said 80 percent of Lady Liberty's visitors are unable to see the historic pedestal and visit the museum at its current site.

This May, the new museum is slated to open in a new building with some 26,000 square feet of space. Visitors will be able to see Lady Liberty's original torch in the museum along with performances and events at flag plaza and a multimedia show telling the symbolic history of the Statue.

Image credit: EarthCam Image caption: An image of Lady Liberty's original, historic torch being disassembled and transported across Liberty Island.