Forget Broadway and the Mets' and Yankees' new ballparks. What could become one of the hottest tickets in the metropolitan area goes on sale Saturday. 
The public will once again be able to view the New York skyline from the top of its harbor when the Statue of Liberty's crown reopens July 4th for the first time since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Beginning at 10 Saturday morning, a telephone and internet reservation system will be in place for purchasing the coveted tickets to the crown of Miss Liberty with ferry fare to the statue.
"The Statue of Liberty is not only an iconic New York City attraction but an American symbol, and we expect there will be significant demand for tickets by locals and outside visitors alike," said Tiffany Townsend, a spokeswoman for the New York City Visitors and Convention Bureau.
"On July 4, we are giving America a special gift," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in announcing the crown's reopening. "The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of the hope, freedom and opportunity that America represents to the world. I am delighted to announce that the public will soon be able to plan their trip to the storied crown of the Statue of Liberty once again."
Some 50,000 visitors are expected to make the 168-step climb to the crown before it closes again in two years for permanent safety renovations.
The National Park Service will limit the ascent to groups of 10 at a time, guided by a park ranger. Three trips are planned each hour, for a total of 240 a day.
The limited number of reservations for crown climbs will be made on a "first-come, first-served basis," said Mindi Rambo, assistant public affairs officer for the park service in New York harbor.
"There will be no walk-up tickets for the crown," she said.
Rambo said she expects demand to be high because Salazar's crown-reopening announcement last month was greeted with widespread international interest.
