There is a Tibetan monastery on a hill in Staten Island, hand-built from fieldstone collected across the borough, and almost nobody in New York knows it exists. This 45-minute guided walk takes you through those halls and terraced gardens with the story of Jacques Marchais and stonemason Joseph Primiano, who drove the hillside every Sunday hunting the right stone. If you like the city's genuinely strange corners, put this at the top of your list.
What to expect
You will meet at the museum on Lighthouse Avenue and walk the site with a guide, moving through the fieldstone galleries and out into the terraced gardens with views toward Raritan Bay. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and focuses on how the buildings and landscape were made, not just the collection inside. Afterwards the galleries and gardens are open to explore.
Good to know
- The museum sits on a steep hilltop; wear shoes you can walk a slope in
- Tickets are capped at a small number per order, so book ahead rather than turning up
- From the Staten Island Ferry take the S74 bus to Lighthouse Avenue
- The tour is outdoors in part, so check the forecast before you set out
- Best for adults and older kids who can walk uneven garden paths
- Parking on Lighthouse Avenue is limited, and the museum asks visitors not to block driveways
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Common questions
How long does the tour take?
About 45 minutes on the guided walk itself, though the listed slot runs an hour to allow for questions and time in the gardens.
What makes the buildings unusual?
Jacques Marchais designed them to replicate a Tibetan Buddhist mountain monastery, specifically the Potala at Lhasa. They are the first Himalayan-style architecture built in America.
Is museum admission included?
The walking tour is ticketed separately from general museum admission, which the museum sells for its own afternoon slot.
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