Why is the Statue of Liberty green?

Covered in thin copper plates, the Statue of Liberty (a gift from France) was originally a dull brown when it arrived in New York Harbor in 1885. But unlike most things, the statue actually got prettier with age. Over the next 30 years, she slowly took on the greenish tinge you see today. The salty air from the harbor reacted with the copper to create a thin layer of salt called a patina. Lady Liberty’s green sheen is a good thing: The patina actually protects the statue from rusting.

A natural weathering process — called oxidation — took place when air and water reacted with the copper plates.

Over time, the weathering of the copper created a thin layer of copper carbonate called a patina. Although some people were worried that the changing color of the statue meant it was decaying, the patina actually protects the copper underneath from further corrosion.

 

Picture Credit : Google