Consider this: A mini-Smithsonian exists right here on Staten Island. We’re standing before the Staten Island Museum. It’s officially the Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences. This is Staten Island’s oldest cultural institution. It stands as the only remaining general interest museum in New York City.
Founded in 1881, the Staten Island Museum began with fourteen of New York City’s first “environmental activists”. They pooled their collections together. Their aim was to record the island’s plants and animals. The museum has since evolved. It now includes art and history in its mission.
The Staten Island Museum is located in Snug Harbor. Snug Harbor is an 83-acre campus. It once served as a home for retired seamen. Now, it houses several cultural institutions. These institutions reside in Landmark Greek Revival buildings.
Inside the Staten Island Museum, you’ll discover a treasure trove of artifacts and specimens. They span from ancient times to the contemporary period. The museum’s holdings are organized into three main collections. These include Natural Sciences, Fine Art, and History Archives & Library.
The Natural Science collection encompasses over 500000 botanical, biological, anthropological, and mineral specimens. You’ll find bird nests, eggs, mounted animals, fossils, and shells. A significant insect collection is present. It even includes important type specimens.
The art collection follows a 19th-century model. It includes works from prehistory to the modern period. Diverse world cultures from Western and Non-Western traditions are represented.
The historical collections boast a library, maps, atlases, early films, audio recordings, and photographs. You’ll also find historical objects, ephemera, and archival documents reaching back to the 17th century.
The Staten Island Museum has played a vital role in establishing other cultural organizations in the area. These include the New York Botanical Garden. Nathaniel Lord Britton, co-founder of the institute, became its first director. The Staten Island Zoo also owes its origins to the museum. It began as the Staten Island Zoological Society, a section of the museum in 1933.
The museum has influenced Staten Island’s environment. It contributed to the preservation of the Greenbelt. It helped establish other environmental organizations.
The Staten Island Museum reopened at Snug Harbor in September 2015. The renovation of Building A added over 25000 square feet. The museum displays Staten Island Scene/Seen. It is a new interpretation of Staten Island across three centuries. It includes commissioned works by contemporary artists. It also features Hudson River School landscape paintings. These paintings are by Jasper Cropsey and Edward Moran.
As you explore the Staten Island Museum, a life-size replica of a mastodon greets you. This creature once roamed the hills of Staten Island. Its existence is supported by local discoveries held in the museum’s fossil collection.
The Staten Island Museum stands as a testament to the power of community. It showcases the importance of preserving our natural and cultural heritage. It is a place where curiosity is sparked. Meaningful shared experiences deepen our understanding of the world.