As New York celebrates the landmark anniversary of the iconic copper monument, museums and cultural centers across France mark the milestone with immersive virtual experiences, historic exhibitions, and a look back at the grand nineteenth-century engineering feat that forged transatlantic ties.
The copper colossus standing in the harbor of New York represents far more than a scenic landmark. Officially dedicated on October 28, 1886, La Liberté éclairant le monde—known as the statue of Liberty—came to life through the creative vision of sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, the structural engineering of Gustave Eiffel, and the financial rescue of publisher Joseph Pulitzer, whose public subscription campaign saved the affair when funds were lacking.
Virtual Reality and Museum Exhibitions Bring Bartholdi’s Workshop to Life in Paris
Visitors stepping into the Musée d’Orsay in Paris can now explore the thirty-five-minute virtual reality experience titled A Statue for Freedom: Bartholdi's Dream, from Paris to New York.
Set within a spacious seven-hundred-square-meter hall, the immersive installation transports participants back to 1886 aboard a vessel waiting in the New York harbor before rewinding two decades to the Parisian workshops where artisans constructed the monument.
The exhibition accompanying the virtual reality journey draws on extensive scientific and documentary research.
Alsatian Roots and Regional French Contributions to Lady Liberty
The creation of the monumental sculpture connects deeply to the Alsace region of France, specifically the hometown of its sculptor. Bartholdi’s collaboration with the Dijon-born Eiffel resulted in an internal iron and steel framework weighing 126 tonnes designed to support 88 tonnes of exterior copper sheeting against harsh maritime winds and thermal expansion.
Other French communities also played direct roles in replicating the monument. In Cléguérec, a regional zinc copy cast by the Avoiron & Clément foundry was cast in 1882. Unlike the New York original, which bears the date of American independence on its tablet, the Cléguérec copy features a map of Europe and Africa honoring Joseph Pobéguin, a local military officer who perished during an 1881 expedition in the African desert.
Centuries of Political Pageantry and Historic Dedications
Official anniversaries of the monument have long served as stages for major political addresses and cultural celebrations.
Subsequent milestones brought distinct cultural reflections. A painting of the monument hung in the Oval Office across multiple presidential administrations, including those of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, until it was removed by Donald Trump. During the 1986 centennial, Ronald Reagan relighted the torch, while Frank Sinatra, among others, performed.
Grover Cleveland took the sea route aboard a naval vessel to reach Bedloe’s Island on October 28, 1886, accompanied by a flotilla of 300 ships. Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi awaited him beside the monumental creation, its facial features concealed behind an immense French flag before the grand unveiling. Decades later, in October 2002, regional president Adrien Zeller traveled to the site to launch the international fund for the Alsatian language under the sponsorship of the New York Alsatian association.
Cultural observances continue into the modern era at the museum and through regional tributes. Gourin installed a new replica in 2023 to signify its historic connections to the United States, while an additional copy stands near the RN 165 highway in Ploeren. At the Musée d’Orsay, visitors can purchase tickets priced at sixteen euros for the virtual reality experience alone, or thirty-two euros for a combined ticket that includes entry to the exhibition highlighting the visionary sculptor.