The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art

On a residential street on Staten Island's Lighthouse Hill, the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art describes itself as a hilltop sanctuary of Tibetan culture, and the setting does half the work: small stone buildings, a garden and a courtyard strung with prayer flags, far from any tourist route. Inside are Himalayan sculpture, painting and ritual objects shown with a stillness that suits them, and the museum programs talks and special evenings through the year. It is one of the quietest and most unexpected cultural visits in the five boroughs.

The museum opens Wednesday through Sunday afternoons, though hours and programming vary by season, so check the museum's website before you go. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors as of October 2026, free for members and SNAP and WIC recipients, and one person in each party registers a name and email online or at the door. Enter by the main staircase at 338 Lighthouse Avenue: the way down is 13 uneven flagstone steps with a non-continuous handrail and there's no elevator, so the museum isn't wheelchair-accessible. Pair it with Historic Richmond Town nearby.