The Statue of Liberty will be closed for security upgrades from October 2011, depriving tourists a chance to visit the crown, base and pedestal for up to 12 months
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Shutting down Lady Liberty
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The Statue of Liberty celebrates its 125th anniversary on October 12, 2011. The project will add fireproof staircases, lifts and exits, said David Luchsinger, superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
At the moment, the only exit from the top of the 22-storey observation deck is one narrow staircase.
More than five million people visit the American landmark every year, with 20,000 tourists a day flocking to the site during the summer.
The statue was briefly evacuated in July following a false fire alarm, but the park has long been planning to improve security.
The statue was closed after the September 11 attacks in 2001. It reopened in 2004 but the crown observation deck remained off limits until last year.
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