The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Lady Liberty has inspired many riddles and brain teasers over the years. Below are 97 riddles about the Statue of Liberty along with their answers.
Geography Riddles
Let’s start with some riddles about the location and geography surrounding Lady Liberty:
Q: Where is the Statue of Liberty located?
A: Liberty Island, in New York Harbor
Q: What city can you see from the Statue of Liberty’s torch?
A: Manhattan
Q: What borough of New York City is the Statue of Liberty closest to?
A: Manhattan
Q: What island was the Statue of Liberty moved to in 1882?
A: Bedloe’s Island, later renamed Liberty Island
Q: How many acres is Liberty Island?
A: Around 15 acres
Q: What body of water surrounds Liberty Island?
A: New York Harbor, an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean
Q: What river flows into New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty?
A: Hudson River
Q: What strait connects New York Harbor to the Atlantic Ocean?
A: The Verrazano Narrows
Q: What state is the Statue of Liberty located in?
A: New York
Q: What country gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States?
A: France
History Riddles
Now let’s look at some riddles about the history of Lady Liberty:
Q: Who designed the Statue of Liberty?
A: Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi
Q: Who was the engineer that helped design the internal structure of the statue?
A: Alexandre Gustave Eiffel
Q: In what year was the Statue of Liberty dedicated?
A: 1886
Q: How many years did it take for the Statue of Liberty to be planned and built?
A: Around 30 years from concept to completion
Q: What French abolitionist inspired Bartholdi’s design for Lady Liberty?
A: Édouard René de Laboulaye
Q: Where in Paris was the Statue of Liberty built between 1875-1884?
A: At Gaget, Gauthier & Co. workshops
Q: How was the copper skin of the statue attached in Paris?
A: With temporary scaffolding
Q: Why were there delays in dedicating the Statue of Liberty?
A: Difficulties with fundraising and technical challenges
Q: How was the Statue of Liberty transported from France to America?
A: In 350 separate pieces packed in 214 crates
Q: What ship carried the Statue of Liberty across the Atlantic Ocean?
A: The French frigate Isere
Design Riddles
Let’s move on to some riddles about Lady Liberty’s design:
Q: How tall is the Statue of Liberty from the ground to the tip of the torch?
A: 305 feet, 1 inch
Q: What material is the Statue of Liberty covered with?
A: Copper
Q: How thick is the copper skin of the Statue of Liberty?
A: 3/32 of an inch, less than the thickness of two pennies
Q: How many steps are inside the pedestal of the statue?
A: 154 steps to the top
Q: What is the Statue of Liberty holding in her right hand?
A: A torch
Q: What is in the Statue of Liberty’s left hand?
A: A tablet inscribed with “July IV MDCCLXXVI” (July 4, 1776)
Q: What seven spikes represent on the Statue of Liberty’s crown?
A: The seven seas and seven continents of the world
Q: What broke off the Statue of Liberty’s torch in 1916?
A: The glass and copper flame
Q: How many windows are in the Statue of Liberty’s crown?
A: 25 windows
Q: How wide is the Statue of Liberty at her waist?
A: 35 feet
Meaning Riddles
Some riddles about the symbolic meaning behind Lady Liberty:
Q: What do the seven spikes on the Statue’s crown represent?
A: The seven seas and continents of the world
Q: What does the torch in the Statue’s right hand symbolize?
A: Enlightenment
Q: What does the tablet the Statue holds represent?
A: The date of American independence
Q: What do the broken shackles at the Statue’s feet symbolize?
A: Freedom from oppression
Q: What does the Statue’s flowing robe represent?
A: Freedom
Q: Why is the Statue of Liberty a woman?
A: To represent liberty as a woman
Q: What does the green color of the Statue symbolize?
A: Nature and life
Q: Why does the Statue of Liberty hold a torch over her head?
A: To light the way to freedom, acting as a beacon
Renovation Riddles
Some questions about renovations done on the Statue of Liberty:
Q: When was the Statue of Liberty renovated for its centennial celebration?
A: Between 1982-1986
Q: How was the torch replaced during the renovation?
A: With a new copper torch covered in thin 24K gold sheets
Q: How much did the Statue of Liberty renovation cost?
A: Around $87 million
Q: Who funded the renovation project?
A: Mostly private donations
Q: How was the Statue of Liberty cleaned during the renovation?
A: With liquid nitrogen and soda blast treatments
Q: How did workers reach the Statue during renovations?
A: On large scaffolds and hydraulic lifts
Q: When did the Statue of Liberty reopen after renovations finished?
A: July 5, 1986
Visitor Riddles
Some riddles about visiting and accessing the Statue of Liberty:
Q: How many people can fit inside the Statue of Liberty’s crown?
A: About 10 people
Q: How many people visit the Statue of Liberty each year?
A: Around 4.5 million people
Q: What islands can you visit via the Staten Island Ferry?
A: Staten Island and Liberty Island
Q: What color are the Staten Island ferries that pass the Statue of Liberty?
A: Orange
Q: What months is the Statue of Liberty open to visitors?
A: All year round
Q: True or false – you can see the Statue of Liberty from Ellis Island
A: True
Q: What bridge do visitors coming from Manhattan cross to reach Liberty Island?
A: The Liberty Bridge
Pop Culture Riddles
A few riddles about Lady Liberty’s presence in movies, music, and books:
Q: What famous dance scene was filmed at the Statue of Liberty?
A: The dance scene in Singin’ in the Rain
Q: What climb up the outside of the Statue of Liberty helped make King Kong famous?
A: King Kong climbing up Lady Liberty in the 1933 film
Q: What play is the Statue of Liberty mentioned in?
A: The Immigrant by Mark Harelik
Q: Which poet wrote the poem The New Colossus to help raise funds for the Statue’s pedestal?
A: Emma Lazarus
Q: What 1984 pop song references standing below the Statue of Liberty?
A: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!
Q: Which book involves smuggling part of the Statue of Liberty?
A: 365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental
Trivia Riddles
Finally, here are some random trivia riddles about the Statue of Liberty:
Q: True or False – The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France.
A: True
Q: Which direction does the Statue of Liberty face?
A: Southeast
Q: About how many bolts hold the Statue of Liberty’s copper skin to its frame?
A: Around 300,000 bolts
Q: What is the official name of the Statue of Liberty?
A: Liberty Enlightening the World
Q: Which president officially dedicated the Statue of Liberty in 1886?
A: President Grover Cleveland
Q: How thick are the Statue of Liberty’s copper sheets?
A: The thickness of two pennies placed together
Q: About how much did it cost to build the Statue of Liberty in the 1880s?
A: Around $250,000
Q: How high can winds around the Statue of Liberty gust up to?
A: Up to 60mph
Q: What is the Statue of Liberty holding besides the torch and tablet?
A: A chain representing tyranny cast off
Q: How often is the torch in the Statue’s hand relit?
A: It hasn’t been relit since 1916
