Museums Visited on Staten Island:
Art Museums:
Large collection of maritime paintings from artist John A. Noble (1913-1983) in restored Seaman's hospital, includes the artist's entire houseboat and many personal effects. Located in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, a large museum and botanical gardens complex.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 7, Paul: 7 (out of 10).
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Hillside retreat, meditation rooms and Tibetan art collection of Jacques Marchais (1887-1948), an American actress, collector of Tibetan art and proponent of Buddhism in America.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 5, Paul: 5 (out of 10).
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Botanical Gardens:
A number of differently themed gardens scattered throughout the grounds of a former retirement home for sailors, occupying 83 acres on the Kill van Kull (the waterway that separates Staten Island from New Jersey). The gardens are new and some are still in the early planting stages, but several are complete enough to make pleasant walks, including the Tuscan garden, the elaborate Chinese scholar's garden, an English boxwood maze and the recently planted “Garden of Healing” with fountains and a sculpted stream.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 6, Paul: 4 (out of 10).
Ethnic Museums:
Garibaldi-Meucci Museum:
Small historic house in residential neighborhood, with collection of personal effects from the famous Italians who lived there: the revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), and the inventor Antonio Meucci (1808-1889), considered by some to be the first inventor of the telephone. Museum hosted an Italian themed summer festival while we were visiting, with excellent food and live band.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 3, Paul: 6 (out of 10).
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General Museum:
Exhibits on the history, natural history and culture of Staten Island. Includes large collection of preserved insects (esp. beetles), pickled amphibians, and mineral samples. Top floor has rotating exhibits on Staten Island artists and famous residents.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 6, Paul: 6 (out of 10).
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History and Historic Buildings:
Fort Wadsworth:
Abandoned historic fort, once part of a gauntlet of forts protecting New York harbor. Site has nice views of the Verranzano bridge, but access is extremely limited, one tour per day.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 1, Paul: 2 (out of 10).
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Historic house in small park overlooking the New York harbor. Home of Alice Austin (1886-1952), prolific turn of the century photographer and notable woman.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 5, Paul: 4 (out of 10).
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Restored pre-revolutionary war manor in a coastal park with a beach and walking trails. The house is famous for hosting a conference between Lord Richard Howe, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge in 1776 to (unsuccessfully) attempt to end the Revolutionary War. The event is re-enacted yearly on Sept. 11.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 5, Paul: 4 (out of 10).
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Historic Richmond Town:
Large collection of 30 historic buildings in a living history museum. Includes the oldest one-room school house in America, Staten Island's third courthouse and a small museum dedicated to the history and industry of Staten Island.
Museum Rating: Pauline: 2, Paul: 3 (out of 10)
| Museum List of Staten Island | Blog | Type | Cost | Pauline's Rating | Paul's Rating |
| Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art | - | Art- Contemporary | $6 | - | - |
| Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art | Link | Art- Cultural | $5 | 5 | 5 |
| Noble Maritime Collection* | Link | Art- Maritime | $6 | 7* | 7* |
| Snug Harbor Botanical Gardens | Link | Botanical | Free | 6 | 4 |
| Staten Island Children's Museum | - | Children's | $6 | - | - |
| Garibaldi-Meucci Museum | NYB | Ethnic - Italian | $5 | 3 | 6 |
| Staten Island Museum | Link | General | $2 | 6 | 6 |
| Fort Wadsworth | NYB | Historic Fort | Free | 1 | 2 |
| Alice Austen House | Link | Historic house | $2 | 5 | 4 |
| Conference House | Link | Historic house | $3 | 5 | 4 |
| Historic Richmond Town | Link | History | $5 | 2 | 3 |
| Sandy Ground Historical Museum | - | History | ? | - | - |
NYB: Not Yet Blogged
