Since topping off last December, the new Statue of Liberty Museum continues to shape up ahead of schedule and is currently expected to open in May 2019. Last month, the Statue of Liberty Museum-Ellis Island Foundation launched a fundraising campaign that would help the construction of the new 26,000 square-foot space reach completion.

With FXCollaborative as architect and ESI Design in charge of exhibition design, the new museum will be accessible to more of the Statue of Liberty's estimated 4.3 million visitors annually. Below are a few recent construction photos that FXCollaborative shared with us:

The new museum will have a green roof, reflective glass exteriors, interiors and exteriors built with materials native to Liberty Island, as well as materials used to build the Statue of Liberty and Fort Wood, like Stony Creek granite, bronze, plaster, and a variety of native vegetation. The building is set to 500-year flood levels and will be able to withstand hurricane winds, FXCollaborative describes.

Once open, the museum will have more room for displaying artifacts (including the Statue of Liberty's original torch), content, and exhibits centering on the monument's history, design and construction process, and its influence as an iconic global symbol. Access to the museum will be free with the purchase of a ferry ticket to visit Liberty Island and Ellis island.