Best Museums in Staten Island
All 16 museums I've visited in Staten Island, ranked best first on my 0–3 scale (how I rate). One earned my top “don't miss” rating — start with Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. 9 are free. Part of every museum in NYC, ranked.
- 1.3
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
Don't miss · Snug Harbor, Staten Island · $5 · Access: Hard · I’d revisit“The Chinese Garden is spectacular: traditional house on landscaped grounds with ponds, very tranquil. Didn't care for the gallery.”
- 2.2
Historic Richmond Town
Worth a stop · Richmondtown, Staten Island · $11 · Access: Hard · I’d revisit100-acre site exploring the diversity of the American experience, from colonial days to the present.
- 3.2
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
Worth a stop · Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island · $10 · Access: Hard · I’d revisit“Really cool, feels like you're in a different world”
- 4.1
Alice Austen House Museum
Interesting · Rosebank, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“The millionth historical house I've seen. Meh. Pretty grounds and a great view of NYC.”
- 5.1
Conference House Museum
Interesting · Tottenville, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“What a schlep”
- 6.1
Fort Wadsworth
Interesting · Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island · Free · Access: HardHistoric harbor fortifications guarding the Verrazzano Narrows, now a national park unit.
- 7.1
Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
Interesting · Rosebank, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“House where Garibaldi and Meucci lived. Neither invented the telephone.”
- 8.1
National Lighthouse Museum
Interesting · St. George, Staten Island · $10 · Access: Hard“Lighthouse stuff. Some original glass lenses were cool.”
- 9.1
Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art
Interesting · Snug Harbor, Staten Island · $5 · Access: HardSnug Harbor's contemporary art center, presenting rotating exhibitions in historic Greek Revival buildings.
- 10.1
Noble Maritime Collection
Interesting · Snug Harbor, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“Staten Island ship museum. Cool model ships and ship paintings. If you're into model ships, go. Otherwise skip.”
- 11.1
Sri Lankan Art Museum
Interesting · Stapleton, Staten Island · $15 · Access: HardStapleton museum dedicated to Sri Lankan visual art and cultural heritage.
- 12.1
Staten Island Museum
Interesting · Snug Harbor, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“Nothing of real interest. Small artifact collection and a (fake) wooly mammoth.”
- 13.1
Staten Island Range Light
Interesting · Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island · Free · Access: HardActive 1912 rear range light atop Lighthouse Hill, still guiding ships in the harbor.
- 14.1
The Crimson Beech
Interesting · Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island · Free · Access: HardFrank Lloyd Wright's only New York City house, prefabricated and assembled on Staten Island in 1959.
- 15.0
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Skip · Dongan Hills, Staten Island · $10 · Access: Hard“Oldest building on Staten Island. Dubious other qualities.”
- 16.0
Museum of Maritime Navigation
Skip · Rosebank, Staten Island · Free · Access: Hard“More of a kids' museum. You can see everything in it on the website, and you'll see why it gets a 0.”