New York City Staten Island

Alice Austen House Museum. This 18th-century cottage “Clear Comfort” was the home of photographer Alice Austen, who took more than 8000 photographs of her upper-middle-class family, as well as turn-of-the-century street life in Manhattan and Staten Island. After the 1929 stock market crash, Austen languished in the poorhouse until the Staten Island Historical Society discovered her work and published it in Life months before her death. Clear Comfort, Austen’s home for over 80 years, is now a National Historic Landmark. The museum within displays a small collection of Austen’s photos, plus a changing exhibit of modern photography. The house’s waterfront lawn has great views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The museum also hosts a variety of events, such as antique shows, dance performances, and field trips to other sights. Check website for details. (2 Hylan Blvd., on north end of Staten Island. Bus S51 to Hylan Blvd. Walk 1 block east toward the water. ☎718-816-4506; www.aliceausten.org. Open Mar.-Dec. Th-Su noon-5pm; grounds open daily until dusk. Suggested donation $2.)

Jacques Marchais Museum Of Tibetan Art. This hilltop museum’s Tibetan bronzes, paintings, and sculptures make up one of the largest private collections of Tibetan art in the West. Its centerpiece is a Buddhist altar, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1991 and currently used by monks for traditional ceremonies. The terraced sculpture gardens look down on the distant Lower Bay. The museum hosts a variety of programs, including lectures on feng shui, opportunities to meet and chant with Buddhist monks, and guided meditation. A small but well-stocked gift shop offers jewelry (from $15), pashminas ($70), and CDs ($20). Many of the items are made by Tibetans living in exile. (338 Lighthouse Ave., at Nugent St., Staten Island. Bus S74 to Richmond Rd. and Lighthouse Ave. (30min.). Turn right and walk up the very steep Lighthouse Ave. ☎718-987-3500; www.tibetanmuseum.org. Open W-Su 1-5pm. $5, seniors and students $3, children under 6 free.)