A group of children from New York and New Jersey was chosen for the inaugural debut of the newly revamped audio tour at the Ellis Island Museum.
The new tour is a multigenerational, multilingual audio experience. The handheld listening devices visitors use are similar to the old ones, but the stories have been retold and repackaged. There are versions for both children and adults. Many of the stories are told by the actual immigrants who passed through the island when they moved to America. The tours are featured in 11 different languages.
Parents and children alike said that they really enjoyed the new experience.
“I learned that you had to take a test with 29 questions about your basic life and then you either got accepted or had to go back to your country,” says Sophia Varino.
“It was super east to follow. My 6-year-old and my 11-year-old followed it and were entertained the entire time,” says mother Jane Gotiangco.