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One hundred years after the dedication of the statue, Liberty was in need of more than a simple facelift. Repairs were needed on almost every part of her body.
A fund-raising effort began in 1984 for Liberty’s 100th birthday, which was then two years away. President Ronald Reagan formed a commission to help. Thousands of donors, from schoolchildren to big businesses, gave money to pay for the repairs.
Engineers, architects, contractors, and 500 highly skilled laborers helped in the repair effort. The statue was closed and surrounded by an aluminum scaffold. Two and a half years and $86 million later, the statue was all spruced up. On July 4, 1986, French President François Mitterand and U.S. President Ronald Reagan attended the ceremony, where a laser beam “lit” the torch. Thousands watched nearby, as others saw the spectacle live on TV. It was a proud day, honoring a 100-year-old lady strong enough to keep alive the dream of freedom and opportunity.
The head, which had tilted so much that one point of the crown almost poked a hole through the copper skin on the right arm, was gently tipped back into place. The left arm was also repaired.
Cosmetic repairs were made to Liberty’s right eye, lips, chin, and one of her nostrils.
Thousands of rivets and hundreds of the 1,800 iron ribs that held the copper sheets in place were replaced. Only a few could be replaced at a time so the statue wouldn’t be left unsupported.
The corroded torch was lifted away by a crane. A new torch was put in its place. A new flame, gilded with 5,000 sheets of gold leaf, was lit from the outside by 16 floodlights around the torch’s rim.
Paint and rust were removed using extremely cold liquid nitrogen (–325°!) and baking soda. These were blasted under high pressure against the interior walls and ribs of the statue. Here, a worker removes paint from inside Liberty’s face.
Baking soda used to remove tar from inside the statue leaked out during the renovation. As a result, Liberty needed daily cleaning so her color wouldn’t change.
The double spiral staircase inside the statue was repaired and enclosed with glass for visitor safety. The staircase also had new banisters installed.
