Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island overlooking the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

So, you fancy yourself an urban explorer, do you? You’ve traipsed high and low across this daunting city, and have yet been unfazed. You’ve been to the top of every skyscraper and have dug underground for the mole people. You’ve canoed through the Gowanus and scaled the walls of the old creepy abandoned hospital on Roosevelt Island. Every former speakeasy with wall remnants has had you in for a drink just as every venerable nyc restaurant has had you in for dinner. There is not one factoid about the developers of Central and Prospect Parks which remains outside of your scope of knowledge, and at any mention of the name, Robert Moses, you are prepared for a heated debate about whether he should be celebrated or denigrated.

Well, with all of that under your belt, why don’t you do something really impressive? Why don’t you go somewhere no one goes?!

Go to Staten Island!

That’s right, adventurers, I said, STATEN ISLAND!

I know what you’re thinking: Huh? What’s there to do on Staten Island besides take the ferry past the Statue of Liberty?

It’s true - the island will not offer you the grittiest of New York City, nor will it offer you the most glamorous of New York City - but it will offer you something new to do, in a city where everyone has been there and done that.

A one day visit, by bicycle or bus (from the ferry), can provide you with a glimpse at some of the artistic/historic institutions located on the island.

Go east, and you’ll find Alice Austen House, Fort Wadsworth, and the beautiful Verrazano Bridge. It’s an easy, straightforward two-mile bike ride from the ferry (or bus ride, for the less athletically-inclined).
Alice Austen House, the landmarked home named after its female photographer inhabitant of the late 1800s, is not just an historic museum celebrating her life and displaying her work, but it is frequently used as an exhibition space for contemporary arts, ranging from photography to film and music. Most recently there was an event to celebrate “experimental music and art” with local musicians and filmmakers who strive to reach outside of the usual current of acoustic and film styles. (For an example see: www.myspace.com/thepantagruel.) Currently on exhibit: 1968: Magnum in New York. “This exhibit contains thirty images by ten photographers including W. Eugene Smith, Bruce Davidson, Elliott Landy, and Elliott Erwitt.” Photos range from those of WWII,anti-Vietnam War protests, Harlem during the Civil Rights Era, and more.

Just beyond Alice Austen House, one can see the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and in its shadow resides Fort Wadsworth. “Strategically located at the entrance to New York Harbor, Fort Wadsworth, guarded New York City for almost 200 years.” Since this military site is no longer in use, you’ll find few people on the grounds, which makes it a great escape. If visiting during the summer months, you might come across a herd of goats. The Parks Department brings in the herd every summer for eco-friendly lawn maintenance. An added advantage is that they can climb around the grounds without causing much damage to the aging structures. In the fall, it can be particularly picturesque when the overgrown leafy vines have turned color.

West of the ferry, an equally easy bike/bus ride brings you to Snug Harbor Cultural Center. “Set within a stunning 83-acre park-like setting, Snug Harbor presents a unique blend of gardens, museums, theaters, educational opportunities, and seasonal festivals.” Snug Harbor is one of those multi-use institutions which represents many different things to many different people. In fact, it can represent many different things to the same person over the course of a lifetime. To a child, it’s a recreational center with baseball fields and art classes. To a teenager, it’s a park to hang out with friends. To a college student, it’s a place to exhibit artwork, see artwork, play live music, hear live music. To an adult, it’s all of those things, plus the peaceful enjoyment of the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, and the Staten Island Botanical Garden.

Just recently Snug Harbor hosted Staten Island’s first Rock Music festival, the “Rock the Harbor Fest,” in which thirty local bands performed on three outdoor stages. It also hosts a competitive artist-in-residence program, which ultimately concludes with the exhibit of the artist’s work at the Newhouse Center for the Arts (located on Snug Harbor’s grounds). Currently on exhibit at the Center: Marc van Cauwenbergh and Alexandra Mein. Marc van Cauwenbergh is a Belgian artist whose work is described as “…quiet, abstract, meditative compositions of predominately vertical shapes, created with thin washes of oil paint applied directly to linen…” Per the Press Release, Alexandra Mein, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, “explores the raw intersection of humanity and a secret world which she sees and manifests through sculptures and assemblages.”

One might be willing to go a bit further afield to visit the unique Jacques Marchais Tibetan Museum of Art. A thirty minute bus ride and a fifteen minute walk (and that’s after the Staten Island ferry ride) requires some dedication. But its quirky history and interesting grounds make for a pleasant day out. Perched on one of the highest elevations on the island, it hopes to inspire a similar feeling to that of a pilgrimage to the hilltops of Tibet. Note: Do not let the name “Jacques Marchais” fool you. This moniker is not that of a French male, but is the birth name of the American woman who opened the center to the public in 1947. According to the Web site, “Because of her passionate drive to amass a fine collection of Tibetan objects in the 1920s - 1940s, New York City possesses one of the nation’s earliest collections of high-quality Tibetan art.” The Center was visited by the Dali Lama in 1991, and periodically hosts Tibetan Buddhist monks from Bhutan and Nepal. The museum is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the exhibit, Staten Island to Shangri-La: The Collecting Life of Jacques Marchais until December 31, 2008. It also offers regularly scheduled classes in both Guided Meditation and Tai Chi.

Believe it or not, folks, beyond these examples lie many more unique locales within the boundaries of the island, worthy of an urban explorer’s look-see. Even with only this brief introduction you will still be ahead of the pack. While the average city-dweller might not be impressed with your explorations into the outer reaches of the city, at the very least, the next time you meet a native Staten Islander, you will have something more interesting to say besides: “Staten Island? I’ve never been there.” Instead, you can be one of those people who have been there and done that.

References

1. http://www.aliceausten.org/events/index.php

2. http://www.statenislandusa.com/pages/ft_wadsworth.html

3. “These weed-whackers are warm-blooded,” by Tevah Platt, Staten Island Advance, June 26, 2008.

4. http://www.silive.com/eastshore/index.ssf/2008/06/these_weedwhackers_are_warmblo.html

5. “Staten Island bands will Rock the Harbor this weekend,” by Lisa Swan, Daily News, June 12, 2008.

6.http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/06/12/2008-06-12_staten_island_bands_will_rock_the_harbor.html

7. http://www.newhousecenter.org/

8. http://www.tibetanmuseum.org/index.htm