Museums and landmarks in Staten Island, ranked
All 16 I’ve visited, best first, with everything I wrote about each. One earned Don’t miss. 9 are free.
Other boroughs:Manhattan 154Brooklyn 30Queens 21The Bronx 13
Don’t miss
Must visit, exceptional experience.
- Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical GardenSnug Harbor · $5
The Chinese Garden is spectacular: traditional house on landscaped grounds with ponds, very tranquil. Didn’t care for the gallery.
Worth a detour
Worth visiting, good experience.
- Historic Richmond TownRichmondtown · $11
A welcome surprise to find this
- Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan ArtLighthouse Hill · $10
Really cool, feels like you’re in a different world
Worth a stop
Interesting but not essential.
- Alice Austen House MuseumRosebank · Free
The millionth historical house I’ve seen. Meh. Pretty grounds and a great view of NYC.
- Conference House MuseumTottenville · Free
What a schlep
- Fort WadsworthFort Wadsworth · Free
Definitely an interesting visit
- Garibaldi-Meucci MuseumRosebank · Free
House where Garibaldi and Meucci lived. Neither invented the telephone.
- National Lighthouse MuseumSt. George · $10
Lighthouse stuff. Some original glass lenses were cool.
- Newhouse Center for Contemporary ArtSnug Harbor · $5
- Noble Maritime CollectionSnug Harbor · Free
Staten Island ship museum. Cool model ships and ship paintings. If you’re into model ships, go. Otherwise skip.
- Sri Lankan Art MuseumStapleton · $15
Not worth the effort
- Staten Island MuseumSnug Harbor · Free
Nothing of real interest. Small artifact collection and a (fake) wooly mammoth.
- Staten Island Range LightLighthouse Hill · Free
- The Crimson BeechLighthouse Hill · Free
What a schlep
Skip these
Not recommended.
- Billiou–Stillwell–Perine HouseDongan Hills · $10
Oldest building on Staten Island. Dubious other qualities.
- Museum of Maritime NavigationRosebank · Free
More of a kids’ museum. You can see everything in it on the website, and you’ll see why it gets a 0.