Staten Island Museum

12/10/2022

“My photography is about witnessing the glory of humans emoting, expressing themselves, being a witness to the power and glory of the human spirit.

Staten Island is my forever home; the birthplace of both my parents and the final resting place of all my grandparents." -Mike Shane

Mike Shane
Born 1981, Staten Island, NY
Lives Brooklyn, NY
Doctor on Staten Island Ferry, 2021
Digital photograph

Yes, And: a survey of art and artists connected to Staten Island is on view now at the Staten Island Museum.

12/08/2022

Thanks to Staten Island Borough President Vito J. Fossella and team for touring the Staten Island Museum yesterday and discussing plans for the future.

12/05/2022

Thank you to all who came to Edible Island and the Holiday Hop at Snug Harbor this weekend! Special thanks to Department Of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo for visiting.

What a wonderful showing with all of the creative vendors and collaborating with our partners on site ( The Noble Maritime Collection Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, Art Lab, and Staten Island Children's Museum) for an uplifting time filled with joy. Thanks for shopping local this holiday season!

12/03/2022

Today is the day!! Join us for Edible Island at the Holiday Hop.

Saturday, Dec 3, 11am-4pm
Staten Island Museum
Building A
Enter Snug Harbor through the West Gate on Snug Harbor Road

Work your way through a market full of delicious local and regional treats to give this holiday season.

Vendors include:
Lebanese Eatery, Beezy Beez, Udderly Delicious (farm to table dairy and more), Delmas 48 – Haitian specialties
Farmer Dave aka Chef Cave Cavagnaro, Butter Me Up, Belli Baci Bakery, On Your Mark Chocolatiers, Isn’t That Nuts (candied nuts), Whimsical by Mily (virgin coquito mixes), Kathy’s Kreations (hot cocoa bombs), and Brown Sugar Bliss Bakery, and Ay! Macarons NYC.

curated by Staten Island Advance Food Editor, Pamela Silvestri

11/27/2022

LuLu LoLo
Born New York, NY
Lives New York, NY
Listening to the Birds, 2022
Installation

Listening to the Birds is an interactive installation inviting visitors to sit with and listen to bird songs while recalling memories through writing – from Staten Island, childhood, or perhaps ancestral homelands. Just as birds migrate across great distances, Staten Islanders migrate over water via ferry or bridge. Accompanying this installation is an outdoor component. A designated bench outside of the museum provides a site-specific space for visitors to experience the full sensory experience of listening to the birds that make their home or rest-stop on the grounds of Snug Harbor.

“I would travel often to Staten Island for festive occasions with my parents Rose and Pete Pascale to visit my Uncle Vincent Capaldo, his wife Aunt Dora Pagan Capaldo, and my cousins Maria Elena and Robert—they lived in the South Beach Housing Project on Lamport Boulevard. My Aunt Dolly and Uncle Freddy Cassotta, and my cousin Leonilda would drive us in their car. At that time, you would drive your car onto the lower deck of the ferry. Deckhands would extend a long chain around the last car to board—to protect it from rolling off the deck. On these ferry trips, we sat in the car during the journey. Only my father and my uncle were allowed to get out and walk around. Of course, this disappointed me. The only time we were permitted to leave the car was when we were the last car (because my Aunt Dolly had a dream that we were in the last car and the chain didn’t hold us and we rolled off the ferry into the water).” - LuLu LoLo

On View Now
Yes, And: a survey of art and artists connected to Staten Island

Gallery Hours: Wed - Sunday, 11AM - 5PM

Photo by Willie Chu Photography

11/26/2022

The Edible Island Market at the Holiday Hop is only one week away! Support small businesses and your cultural community while picking up unique, delicious gifts to give and enjoy this season.


Ay Macarons NYC - Beezy Beez - Belli Baci Bakery - brownsugarblissbakery - Butter Me Up - Delmas 48 - Farmer Dave - Isn't That Nuts - Kathy's Kreations - Lebanese Eatery - Maddie's Sweet Treats - On Your Mark Cafe Chocolatiers - Udderly Delicious - Whimsical by Mily.

11/25/2022

On Native American Heritage day and every day, we’d like to take a moment to recognize the native land on which the museum sits. The Staten Island Museum is located within Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people. We honor the significance of this land and wish to pay our respect to the Lenape communities, their Elders past and present, and future generations.

Now on view: Explore the history of the Lenape, Staten Island’s first inhabitants, through archaeological items.

11/24/2022

We are thankful for friends and supporters like you! Have a wonderful start to the holiday season.

11/23/2022

HOLIDAY HOURS!

Keep the family going this holiday weekend with a trip to the museum!

Open Wednesday 11/23
Closed Thursday 11/24
Open Friday - Sunday 11/25 - 11/27

11am - 5pm

11/18/2022

We are proud to announce that the Staten Island Museum has received Regrowth and Capacity grants from the New York State Council on the Arts!

These grants will support the museum in re-hiring educators and re-vamping the membership program to spur institutional support, as we continue the ongoing recovery from pandemic challenges.

The responsive funding of NYSCA is providing nearly 1000 organizations with over $13 million in recovery support in FY23, as part of their historic FY93 $90 million in grant making and $150 million in multi-year capital support.

Thank you New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and Governor Kathy Hochul!

11/17/2022

The Staten Island Museum Community Survey

Help us reimagine our membership program by participating in a survey so that we can understand what is important to you!

As a member of our community, your opinion matters. We want to build a better membership program that delivers benefits, access, and community engagement that are meaningful to you. Please help us by sharing your thoughts. The survey should take just 5-10 minutes of your time.

Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win a free year of membership.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

11/15/2022

Yes, And Artist Talk / Conversatorio de Sí, Y (Yes, And): Arlette Cepeda
Thursday, November 17, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Join Yes, And artist Arlette Cepeda for an exploration of her creative practice and the importance of community and representation. Her artwork amplifies details that go unnoticed and creates a narrative based on personal experiences. Free with Museum Admission.

Acompañe a la artista Arlette Cepeda de Yes, And (Sí, Y) en una exploración de su práctica creativa y la importancia de la comunidad y la representación. Su obra amplifica detalles que pasan desapercibidos y crea una narrativa basada en experiencias personales. Gratis con admisión del Museo.

1. Arlette Cepeda by Imara Moore
2. Arlette Cepeda (Born 1975, New York, NY - Lives New York, NY) Flor and Granddaughter - Family Portraits. Digital Photograph (detail), 2021 12”x18”

https://www.statenislandmuseum.org/event/arlettecepeda/

11/14/2022

ICYMI we had a blast at Yes, And … I’ll Have Another - a night out at the museum! Big thanks to everyone who came out and to and for the delicious libations, to for the tunes, to the Yes, And artists who came to chat about their work, and to our Contemporary Council members who really know how to throw a good party! Hope to see you at the next one … stay tuned.

11/11/2022

Thank you Veterans!

We are open this Veterans Day
Friday, November 11, 2022
11AM - 5PM

Admission is free to active duty
and retired veterans with ID, year-round.

11/05/2022

Sizhu Li
Born 1990 Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, China
Lives New York, NY
I Have Nothing but Clouds, 2022
Aluminum sheets and steel rod

“I create art about nature and humanity.”

“To most New Yorkers, Staten Island is the moon on the water. She is the cloud in the sky. She is far, peaceful and lovely. She sees the bell ringing of Wall Street, and hears
the complaints of those who had to work through nights. To New Yorkers, she sees everything and hears everything. New York City conjures thoughts of buzzing traffic, sleepless streets, tall skyscrapers, ambitious dreams, and 24-hour work. Fortunately, it also has a loyal and quiet front garden, where anyone can have a deep, deep breath. That is where Staten Island is. That is what makes Staten Island so special and lovely. And, that is why we think New York is diverse." - Sizhu Li

On view now at the Staten Island Museum in Yes, And: a survey of art and artists connected to Staten Island.



Photo by Willie Chu Photography

11/02/2022

It was such a pleasure having the students from ReStart Academy, located on the grounds of Port Richmond High School, join us today to explore ‘What is a Green Building’. We had a great time, powered by Con Edison series!

11/01/2022

Spooky but also special …. Staten Island Museum co-founder William T. Davis spent a lot of time in cemeteries. He recognized them as links to the past and worked to preserve the information they contained about people who lived on Staten Island throughout history. Between 1923-25, he and Roydon W. Vosburgh, a genealogist and archivist, transcribed the records of Staten Island churches and the gravestone inscriptions in their churchyards. Davis kept photographs of at least some of the gravestones he transcribed and of his numerous other cemetery visits, which are housed in the museum’s archives. Cemeteries remain a valuable source of information about the past. Staten Island Museum is currently working on a project to transcribe records from Frederick Douglass Memorial Park on Staten Island.



Dutch Church, Staten Island
Aug. 9, 1933
William T. Davis
WTD 1965

10/31/2022

Congratulations to Museum President and CEO Janice Monger for being named one of City and State NY's Staten Island Power 100! Congratulations to all of the wonderful community leaders who are also recognized.

Check it out here: https://www.cityandstateny.com/power-lists/2022/10/2022-staten-island-power-100/378892/-monger

10/30/2022

Family History Workshop with the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society

In celebration of Family History Month, join Debbie-Ann Paige and Robin Semple, Co-Presidents of the Staten Island Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, to learn how to start a journey into your family history.

This workshop will introduce methods and resources for family history research including new online collections from the Staten Island Museum and Frederick Douglass Memorial Park.

10/30/2022

Irma Bohórquez-Geisler
Born 1953, Mexico City
Lives Staten Island, NY
Saul Vidal holding mask at Día de Mu***os, 2016 (detail)
Epson Exhibition Fiber print

“The aim of my on-going photo essay series Simple Moments of an Emerging Presence, which began in 2001, is to document the historical migration of Mexicans to New York, especially Staten Island, focusing on how immigrant communities bring and adapt their rich culture and establish themselves in their adoptive country. Because of my heritage, over the past twenty years it has been important to me to document the lives of this community amid its rapid population growth. Taking these photographs has given me the opportunity to record simple moments in my neighbors’ daily life and their celebrations that would otherwise remain largely invisible to the broader community and possibly lost to history.”

“I migrated to New York from Mexico in 1991 with my daughter and husband (who is a native New Yorker), mainly to establish our family in New York City. In 1992, we moved to Staten Island. I consider myself part of the diverse multi-ethnic community here. The Mexican immigrant community on the island has awakened in me an awareness of my cultural and social heritage I had not previously recognized.”
-Irma Bohórquez-Geisler

On view now at the Staten Island Museum in Yes, And: a survey of art and artists connected to Staten Island.

10/28/2022

Home | NYC Board of Elections

Early voting starts tomorrow, October 29! Find your polling place and learn more about the candidates in your district here.

You are required to wear a mask/face covering and maintain 6 feet of distance when entering any Board of Elections facility

10/26/2022

FAMILY HISTORY WORKSHOP | Sunday, October 30 at 1PM
Have you ever thought about tracing your roots?

This Sunday, join genealogists and the co-presidents of the Staten Island AAHGS Debbie-Ann Paige and Robin Semple and start your journey to the past!

Learn what methods and resources can help trace your family history and how new online collections (from the Museum and Frederick Douglass Memorial Park) have made even more records easily accessible.

This Family History Workshop is free with Museum Admission. Bring your own device (laptop/tablet). Walk-ins welcome. Register here: https://www.statenislandmuseum.org/event/familyhistory/

Image: Photograph depicting Mr. Henry DeHart II at extreme right, posing with the other employees of C.M Pine and Son, 188 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, c. 1890s. Copy made from original owned by Helen DeHart. Collection of the Staten Island Museum | K 8021

10/24/2022

Sandy Stories

In preparation for the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, the Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster - SI COAD (SI COAD) and the Office of the NYC Comptroller -Comptroller Brad Lander have partnered on an initiative to gather community stories about Superstorm Sandy.

Add your voice!

They are asking community members to reflect on their experiences when Sandy impacted our Staten Island communities during this time and share their experiences via written stories, photos, and/or video sharing.

The Sandy Stories initiative is meant to highlight the continued need for community-driven resilience in our city. The organizers specifically want to hear from community groups and organizers who have experience building resiliency on the ground. From these interviews, they aim to develop concrete recommendations for the city to support sustained, long-term capacity for community-led resiliency efforts.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

10/22/2022

James Francis Richards
Born 1968, Long Island, NY
Lives, Staten Island, NY
Untitled Sandy Ground Project, 2021
Digital video
Interpretive movement by Imani Moss

“The film begins as a meditation on the Staten Island Ferry commute and features interpretive movement by Imani Moss. Moss represents water and its ebb and flow through the passage of time. Documentation of my ferry commute over years combined with archival footage and Moss’s silhouette create an homage to the oystermen of Sandy Ground.”

“My relationship to Staten Island began when I moved here from my home borough of Queens in 2014. From the minute my wife and I settled down, nothing at all conformed to all the stereotypes we heard about the Island. We have been to this day, constantly surprised by the multiplicity of this place, that whatever you think about someone you just met here you are probably wrong, and that that person contains multitudes.”

-James Francis Richards

Untitled Sandy Ground Project is now on view at the Staten Island Museum in Yes, And: a survey of art and artists connected to Staten Island.

10/19/2022

Give your Halloween costume a trial run and celebrate spooky season with family-friendly activities combining science, creativity, and imagination at the Art Lab and the Staten Island Museum!

10/18/2022

NEW EVENT!

YES, AND...I'll Have Another
A night out at the Staten Island Museum brought to you by the Contemporary Council!

Thursday, November 10, 6:30PM - 8:30PM
$50 General Admission /$35 Members
Get tickets at: www.StatenIslandMuseum.org/event/another

Join the Staten Island Museum's Contemporary Council for a night out at the Museum to see our latest exhibition and meet and mingle with some of the artists from Yes, And: a survey exhibition of art and artists connected to Staten Island.

Signature Cocktail and Bites by The Coupe
Music provided by MakerPark Radio - makerparkradio.nyc

YES you can see the new exhibition,
AND you can meet some of the artists!
YES we will have meat & cheese,
AND vegan options.
YES we're happy you're coming,
AND you can bring a friend!
YES we will have a signature cocktail,
AND there will be beer, wine & soft drinks
YES we will explain what the Contemporary Council is,
AND you can join!

10/15/2022

“Moving to Staten Island from Brooklyn, there was a real sense of strangeness and dislocation, one that I've really come to appreciate and that definitely informs my work. There’s a revelatory uncanniness in regularly traveling between the core of the city and the forests and wetlands of the Greenbelt, for instance. Living and making pictures in this borough has made me much more immediately aware of the city itself as embedded in a wider ecological system, as a precarious set of superimposed histories and relationships between people(s) and land. I think I have become more attuned to the ways in which the peripheral spaces of this city render these marginalized understories more legible.” -Samuel Partal

Samuel Partal
Born 1986, Inglewood, CA
Lives Staten Island, NY
Untitled (Etiolai), 2020 (detail)
Mineralized C-Print

Yes, And: a survey exhibition of art and artists connected to Staten Island.
On view now at the Staten Island Museum
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm

10/13/2022

Behind the scenes in the Museum’s collections with photographer and photo assistant Olivia for

We are looking forward to see the magic she captured today!

10/12/2022

Happy Birthday to Staten Island Museum founder, William T. Davis!

Davis was born in New Brighton, Staten Island on October 12, 1862. As a young man in 1881, Davis was one of a group including Dr. Britton, Arthur Hollick, Edward Delevan and Charles W. Leng who founded the Natural Sciences Association of Staten Island. It grew to later become the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, now known as the Staten Island Museum.

You may recognize his name from the P.S. 31 William T. Davis school in St. George or the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge in Travis (a 375 acre bird and wildlife sanctuary - the first of its kind in NYC).

Image: William T. Davis with Alanson Skinner, Great Kills, SI, NY, October 12, 1909 (Davis's 47th birthday). Photo by Howard Cleaves