Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art

Such a wonderful and peaceful place!
My co-​worker told me about this place and since my dad is really into the whole zen thing. I decided to take him along. This place is located in a residential upper class area of the island. Parking maybe hard to find on certain time and days. The closest public bus is the s/​54 and s/​57.
The history of this museum. The museum is named after an American woman Jacques Marchais. She was super obsessed with Tibetian Art and Buddhist art. She began collecting artifacts from Tibet even though she never traveled to Asia. What a bummer!
The establishment is small but their garden area is so peaceful and full of positive vibes. You feel like you’re not in Staten Island no more. Inside one of the building. They had an exhibition on Buddhist statues. The staff was super friendly!
I will definitely come back to relax and eat lunch there. My dad liked it so much that he is a member. Individual membership is only $ 25 per year. On Saturdays, they have mediation and tai-​chi classes. On Sundays, they play Tibetan movies. I recommend you come here for a visit!!!
P. S. Museum Admission… members are free. $ 6 for Adults. $ 4 for college students

I hesitate to send this review, since I hope this place can revive. However, I feel it’s an important function of these reviews to «fill in the blanks» when information from the place is so scanty as to be misleading.
First: people who intend to come by ferry, bus and then foot, be warned that it is quite a trek. The bus is 45 minutes and the «walk up the hill» is steep and not for those who are not hale and hardy. Parts of the walk up the hill have no sidewalk and are on roads with low visibility. It would be dangerous to make that walk in dim light or wet weather. The directions say a cab is an option, but would be extremely expensive since the museum is so remote.
Then, when we were there, the place is in a tranquil and beautiful setting but there was a general sense of an unkempt space and a strange jumble of Halloween paraphernalia and signs about eagle scouts projects without any explanation. Rather than any sense of spriritual practice, it has the feel of a private collection without much organization or meaningful signage — no one watching over it and the grounds.
There was no sign of meditation practices, noted in another review, actually happening there or there being any connection to a community.

People who will like this museum: those who like small & esoteric house museums in interesting locations (this one literally is several levels tucked into lighthouse hill), those who appreciate Tibetan art & culture, those who want an adventure in NYC (because getting there is a schlep, unless you live on SI). We were a bit of each, so made a day of it & appreciate effort to just keep this idea open.

There are some beautiful treasures here, but it’s in serious disrepair and looks completely neglected. When you walk in, it looks like you’re walking into someone’s messy office, which takes up a quarter of the room (one of two in the museum). There are some antiques in that same room, but it has no aesthetic and smells musty. The outside grounds have potential, but don’t look taken care of or loved, and the second room has some incredible Buddhas, but nothing is well organized and the most amazing pieces aren’t labeled. There was a huge TV in the corner with the intro to a DVD playing over and over again. I’m not sure what has happened here, but it is very sad.

It’s situated up lighthouse hill on Staten Island with limited parking in the area. The museum is beautiful solid and tranquil. The collection of artifacts on display are incredibly beautiful and it’s good to see such a variety of Tibetan implements and imagery on display. It’s probably one of the best kept secrets on Staten Island.

Honestly, the most I liked about this place was how peaceful it was; so much greenery all around and a quiet and freeing feel to it. They had very soft soothing music playing as well, if I remember correctly.
As far as the «museum» goes, if you are really into Tibetan art and Buddhism, history, studying artifacts, then you’ll like it. Otherwise, you’ll enjoy the quiet setting more.
The day I went, they were setting up for a fundraiser event. I think it’s a beautiful place to have a small cocktail party, or a nice, small, close-​knit get together –think engagement, proposal party, celebrating an anniversary, etc.
Also, the staff was quiet friendly as well.

We visited this wonderful place last week and had a marvelous time. It was like being able to visit Tibet without ever leaving the island. Set back way up in the high land off a winding road sits this little gem of culture in NYC. There are actually two houses/​buildings that hold artifacts and they are connected. The amount of time and study put in by this outstanding scholar (Jacques Marchais) pays off as you see the works and articles brought back from her time spent in Tibet.
The outsides grounds are very nice and actually would be a very nice place to hold a small outside function. You also have great views from being up so high. The grounds could use some sprucing up and a fresh coat of paint here and there. A little elbow grease and some TLC will have many coming to check this museum out. Please pay attention closely when coming as the place is somewhat hidden off the road and we almost missed it. There is street parking and a $ 6.00 admission fee. We were greeted by a very knowledgeable staff member and were even treated to some leftover homemade brownies from a fundraiser the night before. When visiting New York City, take the free ferry ride across to the outer borough of Staten Island and visit this terrific site.

climbing the long hill to reach the museum is a trek, a way to prepare you for a Tibetan experience… His Holiness Dalai Lama visited here and said it was the closest to Tibet that he had ever experienced in the West. a retreat with simplicity in mind /​the building dates to the 1930s and was built stone by stone /​the collection represents a preservation of Tibetan culture that most modern Tibetans have resigned to being lost, yet it will forever honor Himalayan life prior to Chinese invasion and ethnic cleansing
just take a look at this magical place with someone you love

What an amazing place tucked away in Staten Island. I wish stayed a little longer, the collection of Jacques Marchais was ahead of her time. Buddhism now is mainstream. I myself and my husband is getting to know a lot about the practice and philosophy of Buddhism. the artifacts are all amazing. We are very fortunate to see some of them in one place. Also, there is a garden outside which is so serene and the guide told us a story on how it’s all started to build this place. Thank You Jacques Marchais!

Sometimes it surprises me how much history and feel of the culture you can experience in one small space. From the iron gate side entrance, to the stone steps leading to narrow wooden entrance door, and to main building you go. Library and art pieces here set the mood, and you enter the gardens and gallery.
It is peaceful and quiet.
Amazing collection of Tibetan culture.
Sitting outside in the gardens is tranquil.
Downside — very small museum, don’t count on spending more than an hour.

A very interesting museum if you have any interest in Tibet or Tibetan Buddhism, but the star rating depends largely on the docent during your visit. The museum itself consists of one large room plus the outdoor garden, which without any explanations is merely «OK.» However, with a good guide, and ours was excellent, this turns into a 5-​star visit. Thanks to our docent, the significance of the many layers of symbolism in each object became apparent and meaningful. By coincidence I had seen at least two other exhibits of Tibetan art fairly recently, but this was the first time that I could understand what the sculptures and paintings really meant.

I would’ve given it 5 stars but I was just a tad disappointed that it was so small.
I circled the entire place in 10 minutes. I don’t mean I left after 10 minutes but that’s all it took to peruse the place. I love the location though; on a hill looking down into nothing really. But the feeling is great.
We took our time to examine each and every thing they had on display. I read the stories of other Tibetans living in New York. The outside area is also small. I can’t imagine more than 20 people here all at once.
We made it a point to visit this place so I wasn’t going to let anything get me down. The drive up was interesting. I was also hoping that the «real front entrance» was usable instead of that metal gate to the side.

My love for the collection and the setting is tempered by the lack of respect for them by Jacques. I left the place tinged with the feeling that the place was built as a throne to Jacques rather than for an appreciation of the Tibetan art, and that she had little understanding of what she was dealing with. It’s as if an Egyptian exhibit focused on the greatness of the museum it’s located in, rather than on the artifacts themselves.
One need only look at the sculpture of Jacques as a buddhavista, adorned with jewels and surrounded by smaller buddhavistas — can you imagine someone building a statue of Jesus Christ in your likeness and displaying it in a church? You will also read several references to Jacques building the facility as a demonstration of what she was capable of doing. And I was shocked when I saw a sand mandala on display — to Tibetans, the mandala represents impermanence, and as such it must be destroyed soon after its creation. This mandala has been around at least since 2006 (look at Ella G’s review). It is beautiful to behold, but it’s like watching a huge tiger caged in a circus; it’s not meant to be there, and it’s disrespectful. While people do have their eccentricities, I wish the current museum would be more aware of the significance of its collection and put less emphasis on Jacques (and get rid of her statue!).
If you can get past the indiscretion, the Tibetan collection is very impressive. I’m particularly impressed with some of the non-​statues they have, as most other museums don’t focus on those, yet they have a lot of meaning. The depth of the collection and the pieces themselves are 5-​star worthy.
The museum itself is also small, maybe half an acre on a hill. It is much smaller than it appears in the pictures, and it is difficult to get to. Unfortunately though it’s on top of a hill, it’s close to a major road and the tranquility is not quite there. The staff is friendly and keen to answer questions, though my impression is that they know little about the significance of the pieces they hold yet could talk at length about Jacques. $ 6 per adult admission.

It is a hike trying to get to this museum from Manhattan via public transportation, but I would have to say, the hike was well worth it and who knew there could be such a serene and peaceful place locked in the hills of Staten Island? Not me. I was in for a treat.
Jacques Marchais opened up this museum back in the mid-1940’s and it features a display of her most prized collections from Tibet. This happens to be the biggest collection of Tibetan art in the United States. It features a display of mostly religious symbols in the form of sculpture and is highlighted by a gallery of portraits of Tibetan refugees with small passages of their own personal stories. The actual gallery is not very large, but I was amazed by the amount of items that Ms. Marchais had amassed here. I have to say, once I walked through the gardens and entered the gallery, I just felt an automatic presence of peace and tranquility. I know, sounds strange, but it’s true. Being surrounded by all these figurines and then actually standing in front of the very spot where the Dalai Lama once knelt to pray was pretty amazing.
Also featured was a sort of tour guide inside of the gallery who provided us with facts and history of some of the pieces inside the gallery. It was pretty interesting stuff. I found the whole experience to be pretty spectacular. Jim was the one who convinced me to go here and I’m glad I did. I never had much interest in Tibet and always thought of their cause as sort of a trendy Hollywood thing or something «PC» or fashionable to follow, but after visiting this lovely museum, I became aware and interested. I think this is a place that everyone should visit and it has made me want to take the time to learn more about the plight of the Tibetan people and to understand more about their culture and beliefs.
Highly Highly Recommended.
P. S. Just a tip! You can get 2 for 1 admission to this museum by downloading this coupon. It’s also good for SIX other museums in the city! With admission for the Tibetan Art Museum priced at only $ 5, you can’t go wrong! Coupon good until May 31, 2010.

What an amazing find, and it is in Staten Island of all places. The Jacques Marchais Museum has the largest collection of Tibetan art outside of Tibet, and it is the only collection of such art in the Western hemisphere. The museum itself is primarily a temple situated on a steep hillside with surrounding gardens. Authentic prayer flags are festooned about outside as are prayer wheels. The illusion is quite good. With the crisp air, one can convince themselves for a moment that they are in a real temple in the Himalayas. Inside the temple they have a very nice collection of Buddhas and related iconography as well as a lovely series of photos of Tibetan refugees by Phil Borges which are captioned with their individual stories. Also, unique to this museum, one can view an actual mandala which has been preserved under permission of the Dalai Lama himself. Speaking of the Dalai Lama, he actually visited the museum in 1991 and verified the authenticity of this museum. It is really a remarkable place. I truly felt at peace here, and immediately sensed the importance of this place. I am so glad for my trip to Staten Island to become aware of this place. Highly recommend.

Built as a replica of a Himalayan mountain temple, stones, gardens, steep drops and all, this tiny museum exhibits Tibetan, Mongolian and Chinese art in a setting that lovers of that region will appreciate. Every piece in the collection is interesting in its own way, from the bowl made out of a human skull to the various statues of different deities.
I heard from one of the docents that a Buddhist monk leads guided meditation on Saturday mornings. Also, a sand mandala is now on view which is usually destroyed soon after creation, but the visiting monks who created it left it to be displayed in the museum for a few months. They’ll be back to destroy it sometime this year, so if you want to see a sand mandala, you better visit it soon.
I love the serene atmosphere of the place and the pleasant people who work there. This museum breathes, it sings (you can hear birds even inside). This is not a marble fortress designated for exhibiting art. It feels like you are visiting the art at its home. The admission is only $ 3 for students, $ 5 bucks regular.
On the downside, it is kind of small, but if you feel like visiting another museum while you’re in the neighborhood, there’s Historic Richmond Town three blocks away.