NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- Thirty people joined National Park Service rangers Saturday in climbing to the crown of the Statue of Liberty , the first tourists to go into the landmark 's crown since the 9/11 attacks . Chris Bartnick , 46 , and daughter Aleyna , 8 , of Merrick , New York , look out from the statue 's crown on Saturday . The New York Harbor monument was closed after the terrorist assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon for safety and security reasons , the Interior Department said . `` Once again , Americans can climb to Lady Liberty 's crown and gaze out over New York Harbor , where so many of our ancestors first saw the New World and first breathed the fresh air of freedom , '' Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said as he welcomed visitors back on the Fourth of July holiday . `` This is a celebration of America and the joy of being an American . '' Visitors on Saturday were grateful they could go inside the landmark . `` It 's just basically safety for our country and at least they opened it , '' visitor Ira Semapadilla told CNN affiliate NY1 before the visit . `` That 's one thing that I was like , wow , I 'm never going to experience it . ... They ruined it for us . `` Now that it 's going to open again I 'm excited , and I 'm just really looking forward to being in there . '' Watch as CNN 's Susan Candiotti treks to top » . Gov . David Paterson , D-New York , Gov . Jon Corzine , D-New Jersey , and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Salazar at the reopening ceremony . Even with the reopening of the monument , only a rare few will get to scale the 354 steps to the crown . Only 10 visitors are permitted to ascend the steps at any one time , meaning about 240 people can make the climb during the park 's 8:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. hours of operation . The opportunity to climb Lady Liberty will end again in two years , when work will begin on further safety and security upgrades .
Monument in New York Harbor closed since Thirty attacks . 9/11 people make climb to reopened crown . `` This is a celebration of New York , '' CNN secretary says .