STEAM Center Expansion

 

As the collections continue to grow and offer education around environmental responsibility, the Staten Island Museum is progressing toward realizing a major expansion into Building B – adjacent and connected to the current museum building on the grounds of Snug Harbor.

Imagined as an interactive experience that interweaves art, history, and science – the new STEAM Education Center in Building B will take visitors on a journey through the lens of the natural environment to explore Lenape culture; local plants, animals, insects; weather; geology & archeology collections and more.

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“There’s so much potential here. A dedicated science museum for Staten Island is an invaluable resource, especially for the education of our children. It will be the perfect setting for school tours and for weekend family visits. We look forward to the start of the project which will transform Building B into a place of learning and wonder.”

– Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella.

“Staten Island is home to some of the city’s most remarkable cultural institutions, and thanks to this new funding from Mayor Adams and our partners in the Borough President’s office and in the City Council, we’re making investments that will ensure these organizations continue to thrive and provide New Yorkers with amazing cultural experiences for years to come. This major new injection of capital funding into three organizations on the Snug Harbor campus will make sure that this cultural jewel continues to shine, with upgraded and expanded facilities for the Noble Maritime Collection, Staten Island Museum, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. We’re committed to working alongside these organizations to deliver amazing programming in top notch facilities that serve and engage all New Yorkers.”

– Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo

The expansion will add an additional 12,650 sq. ft. of renovated space in which students and visitors of all ages can participate in hands-on STEAM activities designed to create fun ways to interact with science while learning about the importance of biodiversity, resiliency, and human impact on the environment.

The Museum is committed to helping people understand how daily choices matter on the local level toward being responsible global citizens in the face of climate change. Distinguishing this museum experience, the Staten Island Museum is positioned to help people understand how daily choices matter on the local level toward being responsible global citizens in the face of climate change. A main feature will be a lab classroom that will be outfitted with equipment for exciting hands-on science projects and workshops.

 

The newly renovated LEED Silver certified building will also provide proper climate-controlled display and storage for the preservation of fragile natural science collection that documents the changing biodiversity of the region in the past 160 years.

As the oldest cultural organization on Staten Island, the Museum has been instrumental in the creation of the local park system and of many other cultural organizations. These include the New York Botanical Garden (cofounder Nathaniel Lord Britton became its first director), the S.I. Botanical Garden, the S.I. Zoo, and the S.I. Historical Society. In 1965, Snug Harbor, with its 19th century Greek-Revival buildings, was saved from demolition by the joint effort of the Museum and the newly formed Landmark Commission and now SIM’s flagship building is now located there. The Staten Island Museum is proud to continue to serve the Staten Island community as a place for learning, respite, inspiration and enjoyment.

The Staten Island Museum is supported in part by public funds provided through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

With generous support from the NYC Council on the Arts and the Office of the Staten Island Borough President.