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Jacques Marchais
Museum of Tibetan Art
338 Lighthouse Avenue (off
Richmond Road)
Staten Island
(718) 987-3500 The
culture unique to the country of Tibet is
currently at risk of disappearing. When
China seized control of the country, they
forced the Dalai Lama, who serves as both
the religious and political leader of
Tibet, into exile in India. At the same
time, the traditional Tibetan lifestyle,
based on agriculture and animal
husbandry, is threatened by rampant
deforestation and poaching.
The Jacques Marchais Museum
of Tibetan Art aims to preserve Tibetan
culture by encouraging interest and study
in the art, history and cultural
artifacts of Tibet. Founded in 1945 by
Edna Klaubert (who used the professional
name Jacques Marchais), a private
collector with a passionate interest in
Tibetan art, the museum is a
treasure-trove of over 1,200 pieces of
Buddhist art from Tibet, Mongolia, and
northern China, dating from the fifteenth
to the early twentieth century. There are
also artifacts from Nepal, India, Japan
and Thailand. The collection is
especially rich in statues of buddhas,
lamas, arhats, protector deities, and
Thangka paintings, and excellent examples
of 18th century Qianlong
cloisonné. The collection also contains
modern works of art and objects that
represent contemporary Tibetan life and
culture.
Although well-known by those
with an interest in Tibetan culture,
including the 14th Dalai Lama himself,
who visited the museum in 1991, the
Tibetan Museum's out-of-the-way location
in a residential Staten Island
neighborhood prevents hordes of visitors
from descending on the museum.
What You Will See
The Museum, a small complex
of two fieldstone buildings, was built
between 1943 – 1947. One building,
designed to resemble a small Himalayan
monastery, houses rotating and permanent
exhibits. The other building houses the
Museum’s gift shop, administrative
offices and a small library. The museum's
hillside setting is reminiscent of the
mountains of Tibet, which are among the
highest in the world. As you enter the
museum, note the depiction of the
"Wheel of Life" to your right,
which explains some of the basic tenets
of Buddhist belief.
When to Go
We recommend that you make
the trip out to the Tibetan Museum on a
day with nice weather so that you can
enjoy the museum's terraced meditation
gardens. Statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and
Tibetan prayer flags are placed
throughout the gardens, as are vases
(called bum-pa), which symbolize hidden
treasures. On one of the lower levels
you'll also find a pond full of lotus and
koi (called gser-na), which represent
spiritual liberation.
As part of its commitment to
promoting the awareness and preservation
of Tibetan art and culture, the Museum of
Tibetan Art sponsors many special events
including exhibitions, performances, and
lectures by Tibetan scholars, authors and
Buddhist monks. For more information
about these events visit the museum's web site.
Getting There
Going to the Tibetan Museum
is a great opportunity to ride the Staten Island Ferry,
which remains one of NYC's best bargains.
From the ferry, take bus S74 to the
intersection of Richmond Road and Wilder
Avenue. Walk along Richmond Road for
three blocks and turn right onto
Lighthouse Avenue. The museum is on the
right, at the top of a steep hill.
By car from Manhattan, take
the Varrazano Bridge to the Staten Island
Expressway (Rt. 278) west to the 2nd exit
(Richmond Road/Clove Road). Turn left
onto Richmond Road at the 2nd traffic
light and follow the signs to
Richmondtown. Make a right onto Rockland
Avenue (Neuhaus Realty will be on the
corner) and then a left onto Meisner
Avenue at the first traffic light.
Meisner Avenue winds around and is
briefly labeled as Terrace Court and then
Lighthouse Avenue. Look for #338 on the
left.
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